Requiem for an Illusion
by KatsWords141
Summary: Sequel to Famous Last Words. Things were complicated when they first met, but as our story continues, things spiral even further out of control as they team together to expose a lie. AU. Rorschach/OC. Continuation. Updated and revised 3/1/11.
1. Awakening

**Requiem for an Illusion**

**A.N; *sigh*, I never actually intended to do a sequel. But, I've fallen in love with these two, and i couldn't just leave you all hanging. Wanted to, but after a while, i decided, well what the hell? right? haha, So, here is what i have. I appreciate any reviews, as always.  
**

**Disclaimer; I own nothing Watchmen related. bla, bla, bla.**

**Updated and slightly revised (03/1/11). I hope you enjoy. ; )**

Prologue:

"Time discovers Truth." - Seneca

Time: A relative figure.  
Einstein's theory of special relativity states that two events, simultaneous for one observer, may not be simultaneous for another observer if the observers are in relative motion.  
I was a child when he became famous. I was following in my fathers footsteps; going to be a watchmaker. I knew I was talented–each challenge my father gave me intrigued me–I've never been so familiar with the way something works than I was then.  
It's different now. The same concept, though, all things fitting together in a certain order. Time works that way. It can only go forward. It can never go backward. Relativity–space and time conjoined.  
I know that time works in a straight line. And yet–to be candid–I can _see _forward and backward. My fate, unlike others, is not a blind struggle, it is laid out before me to observe and to determine my route from there. I have a choice. A choice that no one else can understand, one that no one else can make.

I do not know why I did it. Perhaps Rorschach's words struck home on some chord. Perhaps if I had cared from the start, none of this would have happened. But its not the past I can change. Not human nature. Only the future. Only _my _future.

I stood there, looking at what I had done; staring at the snow. I felt no cold air–no wind or snow upon my body. I did not feel such things, such human sensations.  
I did not feel regret as I stared at the empty snow before me. Rorschach's felted hat fluttered to the ground, resting finally by my feet: I followed it with my eyes, entranced by its simple euphemism.

Daniel had cried out upon Rorschach's disappearance, as soon as the repercussion hit him. I had known he would. I expected it.

"Christ, Jon." He lamented. "He had a life to go home to." Daniel–still on his knees in the snow–shivered, but not from the cold. "He had a child on the way." He whispered, a tear falling from his eyes. "I promised I'd bring him home to her." The words barely escape his lips as he stared at the spot where Rorschach had last stood. He thought I hadn't heard. But I did. I hear everything. I may not have understood everything, but I didn't need to.  
Daniel was sudden then, uneasily wavering before he rushed back inside. I remained in my spot. I had been there before; seconds before. I was used to the déjà vu by then.

So much blood was spilt that day. So much destruction in my name. Perhaps it was all I could do to spare a single entity.

Time. It was a relative figure. Simultaneous for one, while for the other, was tediously inconsistent.

**Chapter One: Awakening**  
_(November 1st, 1985. 12:04 pm)_

The pain subsided, the shattering feeling easing from his bones. Walter let out a breath of relief as he opened his eyes. A wave of nausea swept over him as it took seconds for him to realize what had happened. _Huh? _He glanced around, his limbs weary as they relaxed their clinched nature.  
Walter checked his left hand; the hand that had last held his face. Rorschach's mask was missing. He must have dropped it before Manhattan had raise his large, blue hand. _Manhattan_. _What did he do…? _  
His eyes did not linger on his cracked, weatherworn hands, but trailed to the people that had gathered around him, staring. Walter blinked at them.  
He was in the middle of a park. There was a slight, warm breeze, and the air was humid: he was standing–no longer in an inch of snow–but in a quarter of grass.

Manhattan had transported him. He cursed under his breath. That naked, blue _communist _had transported him.  
Walter frowned as he gazed around, he didn't recognize where he was at. He didn't recognize it at all. The sound of an ocean lapping against the shore came to his ears, seagulls cawing at passerby's: This _definitely _wasn't New York.

He began to feel uncomfortable as the nausea lifted. Walter didn't like everyone staring at him like he was some animal in a zoo. He forced his feet forward, pushing his way through the small crowd. He ignored their curious inquiries of his sudden arrival.  
_ How dare that little blue… _Rorschach trailed off, cursing. His hands clinched together, his eyes darting to each landmark within his sights: just where the hell was he? Rorschach was starting to get angry. _Why didn't he kill me?_ Walter came suddenly to a road, and he didn't look before jutting out onto the pavement. A red truck slammed on the breaks to keep from hitting him.

The driver–enraged–leaned out of his window. "Watch where you're goin' you, _friggin_' loon." He yelled, shaking his fist at Walter.

Walter rushed across the rest of the street, eyeing the driver of the truck before frantically searching for a road sign: He needed to get back to New York.

Maybe Manhattan had realized that Veidt couldn't get away with what he was doing. Maybe it was all a show; making it look like Rorschach had died. But if he was some part of this master plan, wouldn't the blue communist send Rorschach somewhere Manhattan could easily get to him? Not some wide open park… The worse that any possibly organized plan sounded in his head, the more he worried.

As soon as his eyes laid on the nearest street sign, his stomach dropped: 42nd avenue. His–Teri's–newsstand was located on 42nd street in New York. His throat tightened; that part of the city had been destroyed in the blast…Teri had been working her shift there that afternoon.  
Against his will, his eyes started to mist. He ducked into a back alleyway between two short–yet sickeningly colorful–buildings. Resting his back against a dumpster, Walter made sure he was out of the public eye.

Teri was gone. It didn't matter _where _he was, because he'd never get to see _her _again. He slid down the dumpster, his feet skidding on the damp ground. He couldn't stop the wrenches in his chest. Rorschach wanted to scold him for such weak feelings, for being so pathetic, but he held back. He knew better. He knew that they had both lost someone that meant more to him than anyone else had.  
Walter placed his head into his gloved hands; they smelled of that detergent that Teri had used. His shoulders shook as he fell further into despair. A few stray tears rolled down his cheek, but he didn't sob. As the emotions started to pour out of him, the only sound that came from his lips was unrecognizable from a dry cough.

Rorschach on looked with furious eyes. It wasn't only Teri's death that made him irate; it was half of New York's. He sat back, anger and resentment in his eyes.

Veidt wouldn't see him coming. Rorschach would strike fast, maybe even recklessly; but Rorschach didn't care, he wasn't just going to sit by and watch while Veidt rebuilt New York–while he denied knowledge of Manhattan's apparent destructive abilities.

Walters coughs of melancholy slowed. He started to breath easier.

Rorschach's eyes caught on something within the alleyway. Perhaps a disease-ridden rat. He guessed it didn't matter where Manhattan had transported him; one way, or another, he'd still get to Veidt. It wasn't like the purple-loving millionaire was just going to disappear off the face of the planet.  
Rorschach smiled, internally. Even if Adrian did vanish, he would still find him. Veidt wouldn't get away with what he did, and Rorschach was going to make sure of that.

_(November 25th, 1986. 10:00pm)_

_Rorschach's Journal, November 25th, 1986._  
_ Finally reached NYC. Took nearly a year to get back. damn blue atom bomb transported me all the way to the west coast. haven't figured out why. will investigate further. _  
_ don't like the memories that came back. my eyes scan the surrounding damage and rebuilt structures. Teri's body within soon forgotten ruins. her blood spilled upon the filthy, dirt ridden sidewalk. spilled like a dog to be put down. spilled with everyone else's. _  
_ Veidt still working to rebuild gaping hole within NY. sad, really. naïve little children are watching his commercials, reading his books, each so easily sucked into his lies. into his corruption. I wont. I wont fall for his nonsense. not sure what I will do. _  
_ don't have a costume. face destroyed at Karnak. coat barely survived. face was irreplaceable. doesn't matter, will find a way to break down Veidts foundations, to expose his lies. will let the people of the world see his bloodied hands. city still disgusting. city still in rubbles, even after so many months. Veidts plan didn't work as well as he thought it would._

Rorschach shook his foot free of a fly-away newspaper, letting it flutter away from him in the chilly night air. December was nearing once again in the shuttering darkness; nearly two years since Teri and him had met.  
Teri. Her name still resonated within his skull; a dull, thudding pain in that never seemed to cease. The on-going grief of her death had mostly passed, leaving his soul as it was before they had met, if not a little emptier inside. He'd refused to let his thoughts linger on her death. Something had to be done with Adrian, and if Rorschach didn't do it, he was afraid that no one would. It wasn't easy–trying to _forget _her–but in the end, it would happen. He just needed a little more time.

Rorschach pocketed his hands in the worn, second-hand cargo jacket that he'd picked up on the journey here. It had seen better days, he knew, as he fingered the small hole in the left pocket.

With a pang of regret, he remembered running that very hand over the memorial wall that Veidt had put up in the center of the gaping crater of New York City. His rough fingers had traced over the engraved names, eagerly searching for Teri's. He wasn't sure why he was so frantic to find her name there; it would only serve as a reminder of her death. And yet, not finding her name was no less comforting. _Had no family. No one to know she was here. No one to put her name on that wall…_  
Walter had then proceeded to flip through the phone book, impatiently thumbing through the blotted yellow pages, through to the 'Hursts'. His heart had sunk even deeper in abyss when not even a single name presented itself to him.  
He had no doubt that Teri had died during the blast–but that single representation of hope had echoed through him when he arrived in NYC had truly died when he found no trace of her existence.

Rorschach sighed, his warm breath fogging the air as he passed it. He absolutely _had _to come to terms on her death. It would mean the difference of how he dealt with Adrian.

A person walking by, roughly brushed against his shoulder. Rorschach pivoted in his step to briefly look at the man; he offered no recognition of Rorschach. He blinked, continuing on into the night. Rorschach had been in NYC exactly 5 hours and not a single person stopped him on the street–not a single police officer threatened him. He knew they had not forgotten him, as he'd seen several copy-cat costumes in the last hour–people portraying him, all choppily dressed. But why hadn't they _recognized _him?

Rorschach frowned, walking through lamplight on this moonless night, his shadow dancing across the adjacent building walls like a flame to its wick. His name and picture had once been plastered all over every newspaper in the city; had people truly gotten so caught up in everything else around them to forget who he was? Rorschach absently shrugged; not like he didn't mind, it would make it easier to find a place to stay.  
To one day be publicly dishonored and then be overlooked the next, felt odd to Rorschach; but he knew better than to take advantage of this ignorance. He'd have to be careful in his rousing here in New York–someone one day might detect him and then Walter's plans would shatter beneath him.

A figure in the shadows of an alleyway caught his eye. They were lurking–waiting. Rorschach stopped, taking a step back to gaze in the alley. The angle of the flickering lamplight allowed him to see perfectly who it was. His first reaction to the brown trench coat, fedora and mask, was disgust. This was the third impersonator tonight. Rorschach wouldn't have minded, but it was unnerving to see himself standing before himself. It was an funny feeling he didn't relish having.

Walter was about to continue his wanderings–uncaringly–when he caught the distinct circling of the black blots upon the white canvas. He stared, tensing. That face was not some cheaply crafted sheet with marker plastered to the surface: no, that was the real thing. His hands clinched into fists.

That was _his _face. Someone must have gotten a hold of it somehow.

The person was crumbling something within their gloved hands. Rorschach waited, tilting his head slightly, pondering his next move…He couldn't just let them get away with such an impersonation. He took in their figure: They were shorter than him, maybe by an inch or so, but it was difficult to determine the exact bulk of the person, considering that the trench coat they were wearing was rather concealing.

It was then that the person–presumably male–tilted his head, looking directly at Rorschach. They exchanged glances. Then his impersonator made the first move.


	2. Surprises

**A.N; i know, I'm sorry Coconutgrowl. I considered Electric Boogaloo, but... *giggles* i just couldn't... haha. Maybe a chapter title for later, but... jesus, you made me so happy when you suggested that. haha. Okay, here is the next chapter. Thanks for the kind reviews, you guys rock! Hope this next chapter doesn't disappoint. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: Bla bla. We all knows who owns what.**

**(Updated 03/1/11)  
**

**Chapter 2: Surprises**

Teri swallowed absently, then made her move–thrusting herself off of the wall with her foot, she pivoted and headed back down the alleyway.  
Surely her mind was only playing tricks on her, and she wasn't about to let it get the best of her. She would go home, and get some rest before tomorrows' work meetings. Yes. It was probably just the lack of sleep fueling her delusions.

But before she had made two steps into the darkness, and before she could realize what was happening; something heavy–like a boot–struck her in her the back.

Her knees buckled and she fell to the ground, the breath of air in her lungs rudely dispelled. As she lay face down on the hard cement, the fedora slipped from her head and rolled, coming to a rest beside a green dumpster.  
Teri barely had time to figure out what was happening before strong hands gripped her shoulders, whipping her on her back as the man used little strength to crawl atop her–straddling her.  
Teri tried to struggle free, her mind reeling as she tried to discern who her attacker was–surely it was not Walter. Though his face bore his features, and the look in his eyes was trademarked with Rorschach… she waited for the moment when her mind stopped their tricks and his face morphed into another's.  
She tried to wriggle out from under him, her gloved hands frantically trying to push him off, her palms thrusting against his chest, feebly.

She felt fear. For the first time in her life, she actually feared dying. Perhaps it was the look in his eyes, perhaps it was the weight upon her stomach, or perhaps it was how pathetic her attempts towards him were.

His left fist connected with her jaw.

The impersonator beneath him hissed as Walter hooked him across the face. The hiss was oddly feminine.  
Taken-aback, Walter reached for the base of the mask, tearing it upwards and over the perpetrator's face.

"Jesus, stop it. It's me!" Teri cried out as the mask was torn up from around her chin, the back of her head bouncing on the cement below her.

When Teri's face was exposed, Rorschach froze, his breath catching his throat: It couldn't have been her. It wasn't possible.

Teri coughed, squinting up at him through the darkness, her head spinning. "Please, stop." She whispered, feeling like her face had been hit with a canon. Teri winced as she prepared for the next strike. She couldn't be sure if it was truly him, so she primed for the moment when he would clout her again.

Walter scrambled off of her and onto his feet. "_No_," He growled cynically–shaking his head–Rorschach's mask still in his clinched fist. "Impossible."

With a great effort, Teri propped herself up onto her elbows. His voice; surely her mind couldn't fake his voice. "Walter?" So many emotions surfaced, and all at once she wanted to cry, laugh, and throw something at him. Teri blinked up at him, ignoring the physical pain as she tried to suppress her mental anguish.

Walter felt all of the walls that had been placed around himself after Teri's death, come crumbling down; the sound of her voice, his prompt. "Supposed to have died…" He rasped quietly, dragging his eyes up and down Teri's form. She had landed in a puddle when he'd knocked her down-the water now soaked the trench coat save for the front.

Teri-recovering from shock–shakily sat up. "Yeah, well, you didn't have Daniel personally deliver my stuff to you, did you?" She asked sarcastically and reaching up, Teri rubbing her cheek where he'd hit her. "Dan said that you died at Karnak." _It can't be him… surely it cant… _

Walter blinked at her. "Were pulling double shifts." He countered emotionlessly, pointing accusingly at her.

His answer shattered all doubt of his reappearance: No else had known of her status that day. Teri shook her head, "I had to run an errand." It was funny really, their banter.  
Once upon a time, she had imagined what it would be like to reunite with him; she had hoped that he wouldn't talk to her, just merely take her in his arms. But Teri's hope sank as just he stood there, incredulously staring down at her.

They shared a moment of thoughtful silence before he surprised her.

Walter came forward suddenly, bending down and hauling Teri to her feet by her lapels.

His sudden heave to get her upright had scared Teri, but when he jerked her into his chest, wrapping his arms firmly around her, all was right in the world again.

Nervously laughing as Walter held her snugly to his body, Teri's eyes misted as she ran her hands–her fingers–over him. It was him. It was truly him. Teri even have to wrinkle her nose at the wet leaves smell he'd acquired from probably not doing his laundry.

But it wasn't just Walter that smelled the same, so did Teri–Walter recalled that faint detergent she always used–as he leaned back to take her within his eyes. Her hair was slightly longer, flailing about her face. It also felt–he thought as he held her–that she had gained a little weight: Healthy weight, of course, something that comes with being well-fed and taken care of.  
A thought of her with another man crossed his mind, but he pushed that fleeting thought back as he traced his fingers over her cheek–where he had hit her. "Sorry." He muttered. He hadn't just meant when he'd struck her, but for everything she'd unmistakably had to go through with his absence.

Teri shook her head. "You didn't know." She barely got the words out before her hands snaked up to pull his face to hers. Her lips crashed against him, expressing just how much she had missed him–his company and his odd affection. It would have been within Teri's limits to press him against the brick siding of the nearest building, but Walter's anxiety about public displays-of-affection stopped her.

He pulled his lips away, yet allowed Teri to rest her forehead against his. He waited until she caught her breath, "Parading around in my image?" Walter questioned, after a wonderful silence. He couldn't stop his eyes from darting around them; though the alleyway was shrouded in the shadow of the moonless night, there was always the possibility of being within the sights of unwanted eyes.

Teri followed his gaze, taking a deep breath, "I didn't want to let go of you." She answered, truthfully. It wasn't _just _about the image she was portraying, but for her own painful denial of his demise.

Walter felt that drop in his stomach; that penetrating feeling that urged him to do things that made him feel uncomfortable. Neither him nor Rorschach could stop the words that came tumbling out of his mouth. "I love you." He blurted, clumsily.

Teri's head jerked back, her eyes opening wide. "What?" Those were the words she _least _expected to hear out of his mouth.

Walter blinked at her, unconsciously tightening his hold on her; he was a little afraid she'd run away. The look in her eyes immediately made him wish he'd never said it. Perhaps she _had _met another man. "H-h-had wanted to tell you that night," He stuttered, averting his eyes to the damp pavement. "But Daniel… I-er- you, well, didn't know–"

Teri placed a finger over his mouth, halting him. "Stop it." She commanded, studying his face. He had meant those words: Those three words that she'd waited so long for him to say. A relief passed briefly before his eyes, like a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders; he'd probably never said those words to anyone before. The corners of Teri's mouth twitched in a generous reply.

Walter frowned, moving his lips from under her gloved finger. "Better late than never." He grunted.

Teri smiled at him; he hadn't changed a bit. She may not have known how he survived, or why, but she didn't care at the moment. Teri had Walter back, and that was all that mattered. "I have something to show you." Teri whispered, "Will you come with me?"

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

"Couldn't find your name in the phone book." Walter commented as they made their way up to the fifth floor of Teri's apartment building; It was nicer than the rundown shit hole that Shairp owned. The wooden floor boards creaked only slightly as they circled their way up past the other apartments.

Teri peered back at him, smoothing out the fedora in her hands. It had been lucky to have not fallen in a puddle, unlike the butt of her costume. "I had to change my name." She replied, "After the incident with Detective Fine, I didn't really have much of a choice." She shrugged, bringing a hand back to her wet behind: she was soaked through to her skin.

Walter furrowed his eyebrows as he climbed the steps, trying not to focus on the large dark oval of wet clothing that trailed from the middle of her back to her knees. "Don't understand."

Teri brought her hand back to slide along the handrail. _Oh, that's right, I haven't told him that either. _"Detective Fine came to arrest me the day of the attack–" She frowned, glancing back at him. He followed closely behind her on the circular stairs, every once and a while letting his gaze dart around him–taking in every detail of scenery. "–while I was out running errands."  
Her foot nearly missed a stair, but it wasn't enough to cause a noticeable falter in her step. "He figured out that I had a hand in the Detroit incident," She spoke quietly, knowing her neighbors had unwelcome ears. "But, _fortunately_, he was on suspension, _and _declined to wait for the arrest warrant. So the judge threw out all allegations. Fortunately it was a very liberal judge." Teri chewed on her lip. "But, it still didn't stop a lot of the prejudice towards me though, especially with other police officers, so I changed my name to save myself and Ali–to save myself of the hassle." Teri caught herself, as she reached the top of the stairs. She didn't want to give anything away just yet.

Walter fell into step beside her as she removed her gloves, reaching into her pocket and retrieving a key. "Never said anything about that." He stated, pocketing his hands deep into his pockets. If he'd have known that the police were trailing _her_, he might have done something about it. Rorschach felt a little irritated she hadn't shared that piece of information with them.  
He eyed their surroundings. The apartment building was rather modern looking, probably built post-incident; sparsely decorated with light brown wallpaper and a matching trim. Walter guessed that the apartments were most likely economy class.  
There were four other apartments on Teri's floor, and Rorschach committed to memory the black numbers nailed to the doors. **25**, **26**, **27**, **28**, and **29**: Teri was in number twenty-seven. _Can't be too careful, _Rorschach commented.

Teri flicked her eyes to Walter as her key slid into the lock with a distinctive click. She wondered what he thought about when his gaze wandered like that. "There was a lot I didn't tell you." Teri whispered mysteriously when Walter's eyes met hers. She pushed the door open with a wink to him. "I didn't want to distract you." Teri turned then, as she took a step inside, "Besides, you were in jail, what could you have done?" The question was rhetorical, but Teri still caught the brief flash of annoyance cross before Walter's eyes. Ushering Walter inside, Teri closed the door behind them. "Ash, dear," She called, raising her voice only slightly; Excitement bubbled in her features. "I'm back."

_Ash: male name. _Rorschach growled. _A year is too long to expect her to wait for you._ Walter frowned–self-conscious–averting his eyes from Teri, and shoved his hands further down into his pockets.

The fedora landed nearly gracefully on the standing coat rack beside the door, followed by the trench coat, before a brunette teenager sauntered into the room. This young adult was dressed fashionably in jeans and a plain tee. Her bare feet pattered on the thick carpeted floor as she came to meet the two in the narrow entry-way.

"Hey Mrs. K–" Ashley flicked her eyes to the man that Teri had brought home before her gaze fell back onto the wet coat that Teri was placing on the coat rack, then shot to the purple bruise that had started to form on Teri's cheek, below her eye. Ashley gasped, placing a hand over her mouth. "What happened?" She nearly squeaked.

Teri started at the teens' worried exclamation, and confused, she glanced to Walter. _What? _

Walter–shuffling his feet–merely brought his fingers up to his cheek, and mockingly brushed where her bruise was starting to form. He frowned inwardly, feeling rather guilty for laying it on her. Walter hoped that he hadn't broken anything. Teri was fragile, as it were.

"Oh." Teri took in a deep breath, brushing her hands down her torso as she peered back to her babysitter. "Mugger." She lied, straightening her shirt. "I was mugged on my way back."

"Omigod, did he take anything?" Ashley stepped forward, holding out a hand in concern.

Teri shook her head. "No," She tried to change the subject, wondering about the bruise on her face. What would her co-workers say? "Uh, Ash, this is _Mr_. Kovacs." She gestured to Walter with a smile. "Walter, this is Ashley."

Rorschach pondered her statement, then froze. _Surely Teri has not started batting for the other end of the playing field…_ Walter gazed shockingly back at Teri. _No, surely not…_

"Er, Mr. Kovacs?" Ashley inquired, furrowing her brow at Teri. "But I thought you said that-"

Teri cleared her throat. "Apparently I was wrong." She interrupted.

Ashley chewed on her lip as she looked between the two; the bashful man that stood nearly in the corner, and the eccentric woman she'd come to think of as family. Teri gave her a look, and Ashley knew exactly what it meant.

Ashley wasn't one to judge, and whether this was the man that Teri had been on about for months, or not, it didn't matter. He fit the description that Teri had given her, but still… Ashley knew that Teri was a good woman; and she wouldn't just take a man home if he didn't matter something big to her.  
Ashley rolled her eyes, remembering that they'd probably wanted to be alone together. "Alright–well–its late, I better get going."

Teri jumped, heading for her wallet that was in her jacket pocket. Her jacket was hanging on the stand beside the door. "Oh, Ash, love, let me get your pay before you head out."

Ashley held up a hand, shaking her head. "You paid me before you left." She told Teri, slipping on the flip-flops that were previously deposited at the door when Ashley had arrived.

Walter looked between the two._ Payment? Just what the hell was going on? _

There was a pause as Teri stopped and blinked at her. "No." She stated, "I didn't." Teri placed a hand on her head, "I didn't think I did, anyway." She tried to think back…

Ashley shrugged, taking a few steps around the couple, closer to the door. "You must've gotten hit pretty hard, Ms. K." She cooed, innocently. She would have accepted payment like any other night, but as Teri had been mugged, and met the man she thought was dead, Ashley figured that Teri probably needed a little break.  
Ashley glanced knowingly at Walter. "Take care of her, eh?" She smiled. He looked safe enough, perhaps a little off, but safe nonetheless. "It was nice meeting you." She whispered after a moment before easing out the door leaving Teri standing by the coat rack, still staring into space.

"'Night," Teri called after her. She swore she hadn't paid that girl.

"Who was she?" Walter asked quietly, fearing Teri's answer.

Teri shook off the proceeding thoughts of Ashley possibly lying to her, and remembered Alice. Ashley hadn't said a word about her, thus the baby must have been relatively good. Most likely, Alice had slept through Teri's absence.  
Teri took in a deep breath, her stomach knotting. "Let me show you." Teri reached out, taking his hand in hers before leading him back through the small apartment.

Her style of decoration hadn't changed much–few things hung on the walls, or graced corners of the apartment. But at least Teri had kept things relatively clean. Walter kind of liked that about her-she was tidy and not terribly materialistic.

Teri led him around a corner and through a closed door. It was dim in this particular room, compared to the rest of the brightly lit house, and Walter had to open and close his eyes for a moment to adjust to the sudden darkness.

Walter took pleasure in the soft skin of Teri's hand as he glanced around, taking in the purple shaded walls. He found it odd that this was apparently the only room in the apartment that looked brightly painted.  
There were objects in the room that were foreign to him, the only things he was able identify were a small dresser, a rocking chair and a wooden crib. His stomach dropped as Teri pulled him to the edge of the crib.  
Inside, under a light-pink blanket was a sleeping infant. It had a head of hair, of which was a light red–gold almost. Walter swallowed, having the urge to reached over the top of the crib to run his fingers over it's gentle, soft cheek. The child was beautiful–with it's round face, button nose and large eyes–and quite visibly Teri's. He tore his questioning gaze from the baby to Teri's smiling face.

"Her name is Alice." Teri whispered, trying to discern what Walter was thinking.

Walter sighed, his eyes going back to the angelic face. "She's… stunning." His upper lip quivered, just slightly. _Told you._ Rorschach whispered. _She's started a family. Girl called her Mrs… Teri married, had a child._ Walter swallowed back the coughs that came to his throat: Once again he was too late.

"She's yours."

Walters head jerked to her. _What?_ "What?"

Chewing nervously on her lip, Teri carefully considered her words. This was where she didn't know what he might say: Uncharted territory, you might call it.  
She allowed herself a deep breath before trying to explain. "I was a few weeks pregnant before you left for Karnak." She whispered almost too hurriedly. Teri tried not to avert her eyes from his; but they were bearing into her.

A figurative brick had hit him over the head as he stared at Teri. His mind reeled with questions and theories and suspicions. "Why didn't you _tell _me?" He seemed to recall this being the second time he asked something similar to that, tonight. Though one thing he was absolutely sure of–Teri was not lying to him now.

Nearly starting when Walter squeezed her hand, Teri realized she had forgotten that their fingers were still intertwined. "I wasn't sure what you'd say." She told him truthfully. There were things that you just don't share with a wanted vigilante until you were sure how they'd react.

She was right; Walter didn't even know what he'd have said to her. Rorschach probably would have walked right out of the room. Walter took a moment before he answered, gathering his thoughts. "Like kids." He whispered finally–sincerely.

Teri reached up with her free hand to cup his cheek. Were his eyes watering? She knew hers were, and as her tears blurred her vision, she found it hard to distinguish which expressions he was conveying. "I'm sorry…" She hated herself for the emotions that surfaced. She should have told him, that much she knew.

Walter glanced to _his _sleeping daughter. _I have a daughter. I have a baby girl. I have a child. _A large knot formed in his throat.  
If only he had known, he could have gotten here sooner. He could have been with Teri through the birth, he could have been there to hold her hand through the pain. He would have been there to see how brave she was. "Should have been here." Walter murmured, his gaze still captured by the child.

Teri took a hesitant step forward, pressing a gentle kiss on his stubbly cheek. "You're here now, that's all that matters."


	3. Unwilling circumstances

**A.N: I had to split this and the last chapter up, technically, because too much happens. So, yeah. Hopefully you all like it... **

**Disclaimer: Nothin! Nothin I say! or somethin like that. **

**(Updated 3/1/11)  
**

**Chapter 3: Unwilling Circumstances **

Teri watched as Walter removed his clothing.  
The two had left Alice to her sleeping, fearing that she'd be awakened by her parent's talk. But it was late, and as Teri had an early meeting tomorrow, they decided to call it a night.  
She wavered in taking off her own attire, her eyes glued to the chiseled upper torso that Walter bore as his shirt went up and over his head. Her breath caught in her throat. Teri had gone too long without a mans touch, and would have jumped him were it not for the self-conscious thoughts that trembled through her mind.

Walter discarded his shirt, his eyes scanning her surrounding bedroom, his mind still reeling from the thought of having a daughter. _Him_. It brought a small smile to his lips. _Who would have thought. _  
Teri's room was spartanly designed, a few framed pictures upon the white walls, a wooden dresser graced one of the corners, a night stand with a shaded lamp sat beside her bed, and carpeted floor beneath it all. Standard.  
His gaze fell on Teri; she slowly removed a damp outer shirt, holding it in her hands. As she glanced down at herself, a gradual blush rose to her cheeks. Walter blinked at her. "Something's wrong." He came towards her, lifting his hand and cupping her chin. Walter gently made her look at him.

Teri nervously worried her bottom lip. "I… I just haven't–" Teri closed her eyes, taking in a needed breath. "I haven't lost all of the pregnancy weight." She confessed in a whisper; the weight was something she never really worried about, at least until Walter had walked through her front door and was now standing in her bedroom–half-naked…  
Teri opened her eyes as Walter pried the shirt from her hands and carelessly tossed it to the floor. His calm eyes never left her face.

"Healthy weight." He whispered, pulling her to him, his hands steady on her obliques: She didn't feel that much heavier than Walter had remembered. "Well fed and healthy." He comforted, catching her eyes within his. It felt odd to be reassuring the one person who never had been this self-conscious around him. It felt odd to be reassuring another human being–period.

Teri felt her blush darken in her cheeks. How nice it was to feel those butterflies in her stomach again. She hesitantly ran her hands up and down his well-formed arms before leaning forward and gently touching her lips to his.

The sugary taste of her lips struck him hard, and Walter pulled her firmly against him. An electric shock ran between her fingertips and his skin. Walter wrapped his arms tight around her, feeling her damp clothing beneath his hands. He feared that this would all be a dream, that he should wake up in an alley tomorrow, a few coins in his outstretched hands from passerby's.  
His chest tightened, but not from the lack of air.

Teri's hands went to cup the sides of his face as their kiss took off, their tongues dancing and exploring in ways they hadn't remember they could do. The firm hold that Walter had on Teri didn't bother her, for she feared exactly the same as he: that Walter would disappear once more from her life–and from his daughters life–in the mere blink of an eye… she kissed him back with a passion that had been building up over the twelve long months–all of her pain, sadness, loneliness and joy exploding into it, finally released from their confines.

Leaning down and engulfing her in his embrace, Walter hiked Teri up into his arms. He guided her legs around his waist and carried her over to the bed: Now that her body was wrapped around him, he could barely feel the weight she insisted she'd gained.  
But Walter didn't dare break their kiss to tell her that as he lowered her to the mattress.

Teri let go of him long enough to scoot herself back on the bed. She wanted to feel him on top of her, to feel his weight–as if kissing him was not enough evidence to satisfy her psyche of his existence. But as her hands searched his upper body for something to grab a hold of to draw him nearer, she remembered–with an unsteady shock that waved through to her core–that he was shirtless.

Soft hands gripped the side of his face, pulling him down upon Teri as she moaned into his mouth. The sound sent painful messages below his belt as Walter became suddenly aware of the confinement of his pants.  
It had been too long since he felt her. He had missed the muffled noises that emerged from her throat when they made love, or the curling of her fingers around the sheets as she reached her breaking-point.  
Walter broke their kiss to trace his swollen lips down her jaw, tasting the sweet skin, as he made his way down her neck.

Teri gasped as his lips took in the sensitive skin around her collar bone. His hands started to wander up her shirt, and she relished the feel of his calloused hands against her stomach. Air rushed in and out of his lungs, tickling the hair on her neck, cooling her hastily-reddening skin.  
She closed her eyes as his hand reached the cup of her bra. She ran her fingers through Walters hair, his touch enough to send her tumbling over the edge. His knee found it's way between her legs, grinding against her, showing her his intentions.

"Get you out of these wet clothes." He growled finally, bringing himself up and off of her.

_Wait_. That voice screamed in the back of her head as Walter started to unbutton her pants. Teri wanted to protest against her mind, but her head turned to the side, unintentionally letting her gaze rest on the baby monitor; its bright, red light steady. Regretting every move, Teri placed her hands over his, stopping him. "Wait." Teri whispered.

He did, and patiently waited for an explanation.

"This is what got us into trouble the last time." Teri lightly commented, thinking of Alice.

Walter frowned, trying to understand, but the blood had left his head to go a bit lower. "Not following." He shifted his position above her, his hands on either side of her.

Teri cleared her throat, propping herself up on her elbows; the soft bed compensating beneath her. "I haven't been with another man." Walter sat back on the mattress, still between Teri's legs, but now resting his weight upon his ankles.

He blinked at her. It was a relief to hear that, but Walter struggled with the relevance. "Haven't been with another woman. Shouldn't affect performance." He stated.

If it wasn't for the fact that Teri knew him better, she would have insisted that he made that reply unemotionally. But there was a tint of annoyance behind it, with a possible pairing of impatience.  
Teri rolled her eyes. "Walter, I don't have any _condoms_."

He froze. Of course. "Ennk," He shifted uncomfortably, his hands on his knees. _Wont risk another accidental pregnancy._ Rorschach muttered, shrugging. _Smart of her._ Walter took in a deep breath before Teri sat up–fully–and placed a gentle kiss on his nose.  
"Not helping." Walter mumbled, averting his eyes as he tried to take his mind off of the tightness of his waistband.

Teri started to laugh before a high pitched sound emerged from the baby monitor beside the bed.

Walter nearly jumped out of his skin. "What is that?"

Biting her lip to keep from letting out a roar of laughter, Teri placed a soothing hand on his arm. "At ease, soldier: It's just Alice." She slid herself off of the bed. "I'll be back." She easily disappeared out of the bedroom door, like an experienced mother.

Twisting and sitting back down on the mattress, Walter placing his head in his hands as he leaned back against the headboard. He tried to calm himself, to calm his aching needs, when Teri's voice came softly through the baby monitor.

_"Hey, babe, what'cha doing up, huh?"_ Teri cooed, _"Aw, sweetie, shhh…" _

Walter turned his gaze to the off-white walky-talkie. Her voice was so soothing.

There was slight creaking noise, as if she had sat down in a rickety chair. "Hush little baby, don't you cry…"

His heart stopped: Teri was singing? He had never heard her sing. He closed his eyes as he listened to the lullaby. His mother used to sing to him–not for long periods of time, mind you–but every once and a while, just to get him to quiet down. He sighed, Teri's voice was more pleasant than his mother's, more comforting. He felt a little jealous that Alice was getting sung to; Teri never sang to _him_.

_"…Momma's gonna buy you a mocking bird…"_

Walter licked his lips, still tasting the sweet sugar cubes that were on Teri's breath. He stood up suddenly, walking with Rorschach's ease through the hallways to the room where Teri and Alice were. The door was open, Teri sitting in a rocking chair, holding a bundle close to her body.  
He leaned against the frame of the door; she hadn't heard him approach, which worked wonders for him, as he watched the mother and daughter. Teri's eyes were closed as she sung. Walter relished her voice, it was pleasant–not like the ones you heard on the radio, but it was motherly–kind.

_"…Momma's gonna buy you a diamond ring, and if that diamond ring don't shine…" _

Walter felt his lips start to quiver again. How could he have missed all of this? Teri was a mother. With a baby in her arms. _His _baby. His jaw clinched, watching her benevolent form rocking back and forth as the crying child in her arms quieted. Walter crossed his arms. Teri was grown up–no longer the young woman he met a year ago. She'd grown nicely into her role as a mother.

Frowning, he couldn't help but wonder just how much of that forced development was because of him not being there for her.

He wouldn't leave Teri's side again. Not if she would permit it.

Teri's eyes opened as she noted the baby in her arms had fallen back into a deep slumber. It didn't startle her when she discovered Walter's presence, his fit silhouette in the door frame.  
Teri gently stood up, supporting Alice with caring hands as she went to lay her back into the crib, tucking the child in before giving her a kiss goodnight.

When she turned back around, Walter was no longer in the dark doorway. Curious, Teri trailed back into the bedroom where Walter was sitting on the bed; almost as if he'd never left. She'd have to get used to that again; it never ceased to be a little unnerving, though.

She frowned at him, there were so many things that she wanted to tell him, so many things that he'd missed over the past year.  
She sighed, sitting down on the plain bedspread beside him.

"I missed so much…" Walter whispered–distracted–almost like he had been reading her mind. He stared down at his callused hands; He had killed people with those hands, broken fingers–was he even capable of being a father?

Teri slid her fingers into his, gently squeezing his hand. She could almost feel the immense doubt wave over him. "She's got a long way to go." Teri answered, expelling a lungful of air. "Before we know it, she'll be a teenager, and then an adult." She gave Walter a smile in her side-long glance. "She'll get married, and you'll give her away." His eyes slowly trailed to hers. "We still have a long way to go. And I can promise you, you didn't miss the most important day in her life."

Walters heart faltered. Teri obviously believed in him. "I'm not leaving you."

A twinkle passed over her eyes. "I didn't figure you would."

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Teri dressed for bed, tossing her wet clothes to the side before she sat on the edge of her mattress and adjusted her alarm clock for the mornings proceedings. When she was finished, she barely had time to place the little metal clock on the nightstand before an arm snaked around her stomach and pulled her into bed, under the covers. Teri giggled as Walter conformed around her, her back to his chest.

His nose rubbed against the back of her neck as he settled into the comfortable pillow behind her. How long had it been since he slept in an actual bed? "Don't mind if I hold you?" He tried to make it sound in the least bit, romantic, but it came out a little raspier than he'd intended.

"Mmm," It was all that Teri could get out. No words could describe how good she felt. So instead, she closed her eyes. Teri had hoped that the fatigue wouldn't put her to sleep; she wanted to stay awake all night in his arms. But slowly, the sandman sprinkled bits of his dust over her eyes.

Walter breathed her in scent as his arms held her tightly to him. He hoped that he wasn't hurting her, but if he was, she gave no indication of it.  
Her breathing was slow and steady; sleep had already taken her. And in some fit of unconsciousness, Teri snuggled closer to him. He hadn't quite met someone who slept as easily and soundly as her-not that he'd been looking though.

_Had tough day. All of us._ Rorschach commented, _Should be tired too._ True, he should have been, but everything seemed so unreal to him. Even his feelings seemed so different. He was actually a little excited about the prospect of having a child–excited about finding Teri alive and well.  
Walter placed a tender kiss on the back of her neck. He had her back. Now, they could start where they left off. And Walter could plot Veidts demise without emotional distraction.  
_Hopefully_. Rorschach mumbled.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

The alarm clock rang its usual chime at 5:30am, reminding Teri of the mornings events. The couple groaned together as Teri reached out and shut it off. She tore the warm, thin comforter from herself and started to wriggle out of Walters arms, but he held tight. "Walter," She yawned, her hands kneading his arm. "I have to go to work…"

Walter, his face buried in the pillow, moaned. "Five more minutes." He gently tugged on her in attempt to entice her back into the warm, cozy bed.

Teri laughed, trying the rub the grit from her eyes. "No, I gotta get up."

His arms refused to relinquish their hold around her. "No." He grunted, firmly.

"Ugh," she huffed, falling back and adjusting into a comfortable spot against his body. "Fine, but just five minutes."

Walter smiled, victoriously; She was no match for his sheer strength. His eyes still closed, he rubbed his bristly chin against her neck, ensuing a short giggle and a shiver from her. She said something, commenting on his unkempt five-o-clock shadow, but he didn't pay attention. The way she reacted, though, brought unwanted thoughts into his mind. "Teri?"

"Hmm?" She murmured, enjoying the warmth of both Walters' arms and the bed.

"Wouldn't have held it against you," Walter whispered, uneasily. "If you'd moved on."

Teri rolled her eyes, scoffing. She couldn't believe that he was bringing _that _up–at five in the morning nonetheless. "You probably would have beaten the shit out of him."

Walter paused, considering this. He shrugged; Teri was right, he probably would have.

"Look, Walter," Teri started, slowly, after another yawn. Figuring that now was as good a time as any to talk about it. "If an alcoholic quits cold turkey, all they crave is that one drink. Food, water… it never tastes the same." Her voice was lined with sad innuendos as her hands worked steadily on her eyes. She'd stayed up too late last night.

Walter frowned. "But if they take that one drink back, they fall off into a rut. One where they can't get out." He didn't want to be here if Teri wished him to leave. He didn't want to be a burden on her, despite his longing to be with both of the women in his life, now.

Teri turned in his arms, facing him as she brought a hand up to rest on his face. "Shouldn't that be my decision?" Teri asked, she took a moment to catch his eyes; he nodded. "Then let me fall. Let me _enjoy _that fall." Walter nearly stopped breathing, that is, until Teri sat up. "Five minutes is up; I have to go to work."

Walter groaned as she disentangled herself from his arms. He buried his face back into the pillow as he smiled, contentedly.

Though her words didn't sooth the fact that he still hated mornings.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

"Ashley should be here any minute."

Walter stared, confused, at the baby in the high chair. She was in a pink jumper with a white bib. Walter held the glass jar of baby food, a small spoon in his hand. "Er, Teri-"

She tamed her hair with a few bobby-pins before striding back to Walter. He looked up at her, pleadingly. Teri smiled at him, taking the spoon from his hand and dipping it into the food. "Num, _num_." She cooed before sliding the spoon easily into Alice's mouth; who thrust her little fist into the air as she chew happily on her 'tutti-fruity' breakfast. Teri handed the spoon back to Walter. "See, it's easy."

He eyed her, in her black business suit; the skirt going barely past her knees. Teri straightened out her jacket, smoothing it with her hands. "How do I look?" she asked, nervously.

Walter frowned, the spoon of baby food in his hand. "Professional." he stated, plainly. "What do you do?" he asked, bringing the full spoon to Alice's mouth.  
"Gah!" her chubby little hands caught the spoon and pulled it downwards.

Walter bit his lip, jerking the spoon back as he sighed. They'd been at this for about an hour now. She just flat out refused to eat for him. It was rather tiring–especially adding to the fact that it was nearly 6:30 am–and Walter was _anything _but a morning person.

"I'm sorta in the marketing business."

"Always dress like that?" Walter asked, not really liking the business woman look on Teri; he preferred the newsvendor look much more.

Teri shook her head, snatching up a pair of earrings from the counter. "Not usually, but I've got a meeting today."

Walter brought his attention back to the redheaded baby girl that was bouncing up and down in her little seat. _Why won't you eat this from me?_… He furrowed his eyebrows, peering down at the tiny jar of orange goop in his hands. He stuck his finger in it, bringing a small amount to his lips.

"Okay, so when Ash gets here, you can leave-" Teri turned to see Walter tilting his head down at the baby food. He licked his lips. "I should be back around six." she finished, suspicious.

"Hurm," He stared at Alice, pointing to the food. "This is good." He could practically feel Teri eyeing him, thus his switched his attention. "I'll be here." he reassured her.

Teri inhaled a deep breath of air. They were getting along. This was good. It helped the butterflies in her stomach. Sort of.

"Hey, Mrs. K." Ashley came bounding in from the hallway that lead to the kitchen.

Walter looked up at the older teen, curious. Either the door was left unlocked, or she had a key. His protective side kicked in, and he hoped that Teri didn't leave the door unlocked at night, especially considering that she'd been parading around like him lately.

"Mr. K." Ashley nodded in recognition of the man that sat at the kitchen table, dumbfounded.

"Walter." He corrected, his chest tightened as he remembered what Ashley said in reference to Teri. _Mrs. K_? How could he have missed it? He stood up handing the food to Ashley, the chair scrapping loudly on the linoleum flooring. _Kovacs_. Rorschach whispered. _Was she so foolish as to take your name? _  
His eyes caught Teri's, but she brushed by him in the small kitchen and headed back into the bedroom for something. Walter followed her, ignoring the roll of eyes from Ashley.

Walter closed the bedroom door behind him: Teri was in the corner of the room, gathering papers from the top drawer of her dresser. He took her in his gaze–in her black shirt and jacket, her curves were accented, making her look a lot less boyish. Rorschach growled at Walter to keep his bearings. He swallowed back that knot in his throat, remembering what he was here for. "Kovacs." he clarified, trying to ignore the bit of satisfaction that he felt with her. "You took my name?"

Teri turned to face him, a black folder in her hands. She stuffed a few white papers into the pockets of the folder. "It seemed fitting." she answered.

"Dangerous." Walter said, his voice low. "I have enemies, they could be led here."

Teri sighed, staring at her watch. She was going to be late. "I can take care of myself." she started to walk past him, but he grabbed her arm.

He knew damn well she couldn't, at least not in the sense he was talking about. "Could have easily killed you last night." Walter whispered.

Teri bit her lip. He was right on so many levels, but she didn't like to think about the things he was bringing up. "I wanted our daughter to have your name." She told him, truthfully.

He loosened his grip on her, his eyes falling onto the bruise on her cheek. It had become a more dominate purple since last night, clashing with her paper white skin. He didn't want to think about what someone might do to her if they knew that she was his.

Teri sighed again, looking at her watch once more. "I have to go, Walter, we can talk about this when I get back."

"They're not going to ask about…?" he reached up, lightly tracing his fingers over her right cheek, a pang of guilt shooting through his veins.

Teri leaned in brushing her lips against his. "_Mugging_." she replied with a smile. She already had a cover story worked out in her head.

As she had leaned in, the folder that she was clutching in her arms, shifted, providing him with a nice view of the logo on the front; a purple pyramid. Walter stiffened before snatching the folder from her hands.

"Walter-"

"Veidt?" he hissed, "You work for _Veidt_?"

Teri tried to retrieve the folder, but he held it out of her grasp. "Give it."

"Are you clueless to what he did?" he growled, furious.

Teri stopped, catching the anger in his eyes. "Of course I knew, I'm not stupid." she shot back. "I didn't have a choice."

"Don't tell me that," Walter hissed, "Everyone has a choice. You choose to work for a _murderer_."

Teri got a hold of the folder, but Walter's hand remained on the end, refusing to relinquish it. "I have a daughter." Teri replied–coldly–trying to jerk it from his grasp. "I have to support both of us. I _didn't _have a choice." He let the folder go, the words hitting him hard, Teri smoothed it out with her hand.

"Everyone has a choice." he repeated, softer this time.

Teri shook her head. "I don't know what your smoking, but that's bullshit." She crossed her arms, the folder clutched close. "You think I _like _working for him?" Unwanted tears started to come to her eyes. "You think I like working for the man that took you away from me?"

Walter's jaw tightened. He didn't want to hear what she said. "Could worked elsewhere. Plenty of jobs. Newsvendor jobs…"

Teri merely stared him down, frowning. The mention of her newsvendor job saddened her. It was true; she missed working for Bernard… she missed it terribly.

Taking a moment to gather herself, she sighed. "Will you just listen to me?" There was a definite pause from his end as he waited. "I'm not as naïve as you think." She hissed, "I have a plan to take Veidt down." she shook her head, "It wouldn't have worked from the outside," Now she had Walters attention.

Walter furrowed his eyebrows. There was something in Teri's eyes, something foreign: It told him that she'd been peculating with this revenge scheme for some time.

"I needed the money at first, but the more I thought about it," Teri started, "The more things came to me. The more they made sense."

Everything came to him; she had ulterior motives for running around like him. It wasn't just to spread the message, she was going to take out revenge. She knew that she couldn't have taken him down physically; she couldn't just sneak up on Veidt. Walter took a deep breath, feeling a deep sense of admiration for Teri, that same feeling that he felt when he'd learned of her involvement with the Detroit murders. "You planned to destroy him with his own company."

Teri smirked. He'd gotten it. "Yes." She leaned forward then, placing a small kiss on his cheek. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go to work." she patted him on the chest. "I'll run by the drug store on my way home." She commented, casually, as if they hadn't had an argument.

Teri winked at him before leaving the bedroom. Walter stood there, staring at the wall. All this time, Teri had been plotting against the same person he had. She had planned to exact revenge… It was beautiful.

He took a few minutes to gather his shattered conscious before sauntering back into the kitchen. He had everything backwards with Teri. And once again, she had surprised him.


	4. Wishful thinking

**A.N: Oh my. I suppose there might be an adult situation moment at the end. Nothing too graphic... just thought I'd warn ya. yeah. okay. Hopefully this chapter gets things a little bit more on track. I know that things really wont make a lot of sense in the past chapters, (including this one) but bare with me, i PROMISE everything will be explained and clarified in the next chapter. Thanks!**

**(Updated 2/3/11)**

**Chapter 4: Wishful Thinking  
**

Walter. She couldn't get her mind off of him, off of that mental image of him standing before her without a shirt on, with those well-chiseled abs and chest…

The person across the long oval table was staring at her. She flicked her eyes to him and he lopsidedly grinned at her in reply. The sun was peaking through the large windows that touched the floor of the board room, hitting the top of his balding head with an intense glare.

Teri reached up to make sure that she hadn't been drooling at the thought of Walter. Fortunately not. She assumed that Richard, the man across her, cared just as much about Veidt's stocks as she did. Not a cinch. Teri pulled her gaze from him, sitting back in the roller chair that was exactly like all the others around her. She didn't understand why they all had to be here so damned early. Teri ignored the voice of one of the board members as they chatted away, addressing Adrian at the head of the black, plate glass table. She looked back down at her hands, which were folded neatly in her lap.

Walter… she knew that life was never going to be the same. Silently she scoffed. She said that very same thing when Daniel gave her his bloodied mask. The same emotions were triggered, and she just longed to go home and hold him. She didn't want him to disappear…Teri consciously looked at her watch. It wasn't even close to the time when she could go home….

_"I'm not leaving you." _

She sighed, closing her eyes for just a moment. She had secretly hoped that Walter would have protested her going to work, to have physically restrained her or something, perhaps even _made _her call in sick. She wanted to be with him so badly it hurt.

"Ahem,"

Teri opened her eyes. All fourteen of the people sitting around the table were staring at her, including Veidt. _Oh-sweet jesus-I didn't call out Walter's name, did I? _

Adrian eyed her suspiciously, he'd been watching her the entire meeting; something was off about her today. He assumed it had something to do with the large bruise on her face. He took a breath before repeating his question to the sit-in for head of the marketing department, Emily Nueberg. "How will the stocks affect the new line?"

Teri sat up, remembering her position on everything. "Not at all. The Enigma line is still up and running," She shuffled through the papers in her open folder, "On schedule." She found what she was looking for.

"I assume the you're proposing a suggestion for it." Veidt stated, his slim fingers cupping his chin. It was, after all, her departments' deadline.

"Yes, sir," Teri passed the sketch down the table, earning several smiles from people whose hands continued to slide it down the table.

Veidt took it up in his hands, an eyebrow cocking at the rather racy sketch; It was a magazine advertisement for the new perfume. It had a scent bubble at the top, and Adrian brought it slowly to his nose, sniffing.

"My co-workers and I think that it might be beneficial to shift the consumer target from men to women." Teri explained, talking fast as Veidt raised his gaze to hers at the mere implication. "Since the last two were geared towards men…"

Veidt took a breath, reading once again the logo underneath the sketch. "In a time of change," He read aloud. "Bringing the bold prowess out of the proud business woman."

Teri nervously bit her lip. She'd come up with that line. The whole room remained silent, not a single person daring to make a comment; they all waited for Adrian's reaction.

His eyes flicked to hers. "See me after we're done here." He didn't need to give anyone else a go or stop signal besides her anyway. Why hold up the tedious meeting for a simple lecture?

Teri nodded, bringing her eyes back onto the papers before her as Adrian addressed the next line of business. _He didn't like it_. She knew that she'd get a little hell from him for even considering to change the focus of their new line to the opposite sex.  
Teri nearly rolled her eyes. Wonderful. She had spent hours on that sketch of the woman standing in the doorway, her business suit unbuttoned, revealing a sexy corset beneath. She had even set up a schedule to cast for models for the photo-shoot. She clicked the top of her pen and made a note on her papers to have her boss cancel it.

Eyes bore into the side of her head, and hesitantly she matched Adrian's gaze. She didn't like him looking at her. Teri jerked her glance away, as if his eyes had burned her, and stared back down at the useless papers atop her personal, black folder. She tried to calm her beating heart, she felt as if he had read straight into her mind. As if he knew everything she was planning to do. She shifted uneasily in the leather chair.

* * *

"Look, uh," Ashley started as Walter sat on the floor beside her. Alice was in her lap, blinking and gazing at the redheaded man as he settled on the soft carpet. "I have a key here," She shrugged as Alice stopped playing with the colorful block in her little fist to stare at Walter. "Now that you're here, I can understand if you two'd like it back."

Ashley, leaned up against the legs of the couch, and lolled her head to look at Walter. She was young, but she wasn't naïve: People liked to have sex, and babysitters coming in at inconvenient and sometimes forgotten times were drearily annoying-period.

Walter reached out. Alice took his pointer finger in her little hand and gripped it tightly. "Teri gave you a key?" He inquired, raising his eyebrow. He'd never heard of a babysitter with access to their employers apartment. _Teri's gotten too trusting…_ Rorschach growled, looking the teenager up and down, inspecting her with scrutinizing eyes. Ashley was clad in simple blue jeans and a maroon tee, opposed to Alice's pink jumper and Walters trousers and green button down.

Ashley frowned, rubbing Alice's back, lovingly. "I don't have the greatest relationship with my father." she whispered, flicking her eyes to his. "He takes comfort in the bottle, ya know?"

The pain, the hurt in her voice sent a shiver down his spine. He knew all to well what she meant. He wondered how often her old man beat her. "How old are you?"

"Eighteen." Ashley answered, worrying her lips as she tickled Alice's belly, getting a fit of giggles as a reply. It brought a smile to her lips. Always did. It helped ease her mind as she tried to repress painful memories. "Teri's been kind to me."

"Not surprised." Walter replied, "Has that type of personality. Always trusting." _Wonder about her occupation_. Rorschach muttered. _Surely not just a babysitter. Possible prostitute? _

Ashley took a breath, nodding as Alice slid off of her lap. "She talked about you all the time, you know." She murmured softly. Even when Teri didn't talk about Walter-like when she liked to sit on the fire escape by herself for long hours staring into oblivion-it didn't take a mind reader to know that Teri was thinking about the man she loved. Ashley felt relieved that Walter was here now; to provide Teri with a kind of comfort that she'd never be able to give her.

Alice gurgled, blowing a raspberry as she tried to sit up, gripping Walter's pants in her little, chubby hands. Walter reached down and helped the infant, pulling her onto his own lap. She peered up at him, curiously. "Goo-ah." Walter raised his confused brow, a tiny, unnoticeable smile on his face. He was trying to ignore the man that chattered unheedingly in his mind.

Ashley watched him, stiff and unsure. He was like most first time parents, uncertain about how gentle he should be with Alice. It was almost amusing, but she held back her chuckle; she helped Teri through the nervousness, she could help Walter. "She even called your name during the labor." Ashley paused as a shadow of guilt passed over his face. "She was pretty drugged up, but it was clear."

"You were there?" Walter asked, brows furrowed. Rorschach blinked at the young girl.

"All fourteen hours."

"Didn't you have school or something?" He felt a small pang of jealously.

Ashley shook her head, "I graduated." she told him, matter-of-factly.

"Hurm." Walter muttered, as Alice took his finger in her gummed mouth; it was a little gross. _Prostitution on the side_? Rorschach considered, still on the matter of Ashley's extracurricular activities. "She was sad." Walter stated, it was meant more for a question. He knew that Teri was private about most of her feelings, at least to him. But it was obvious that Ashley was intuitive. Rorschach frowned, under normal circumstances, Walter wouldn't be talking to this would-be-teenage-whore, but… this wasn't normal circumstances. _Unfortunately_. Rorschach groaned; he hated small talk like this. No matter what it was about. _Tedious_. But Walter wanted to know. Wanted to know what they'd missed.

"Especially after Alice got here." She confided, with a lift of her shoulder, her eyes on her fingers as she picked at a fingernail, trying to be casual. She suspected that Walter could see right through her façade. "But that's normal for mothers, especially single mothers."

"Not single anymore." Walter replied, coldly. It still pained him to think about all the times he could have been there for her. Alice released her hold on his finger, finding something even more entrancing; That colorful block she'd abandoned to come into this strangers lap. Alice let out a squeal that almost had Rorschach jumping out of his skin.

Ashley saw what Alice wanted, but Walter reached for it before she could do anything about it.

Walter handed it to the giddy baby, watching in amusement as she let out a high pitched laugh. Walter shook his head, having a hard time understanding how something so simple-that she'd had just moments ago-could make her so happy. Her laughter sent a strange sensation running through his veins; He wanted to make her laugh again.

"Its not so often that Alice takes to strangers," Ashley started, "She's sort of ornery. But she knows." Walter glanced at her. "Somehow she knows." Ashley smiled at him. The more time they spent around each other, the more Ashley was trusting him, slowly but surely.

"I like it when she laughs." Walter commented, distracted.

Ashley's smile grew wider. He didn't seem like much on the outside, but perhaps Walter really was all that Teri had been ranting about.

* * *

_Oh thank god!_ Teri thought as Veidt concluded the meeting, she rose from her chair, her legs and butt tired from sitting. She took that time to inconspicuously stretch as her co-workers sauntered from the room, discussing the previous subjects brought up. Teri yawned, gathering the materials before her and placing them easily back into the black folder. She waited for everyone to leave. Adrian remained in his chair, ever staring at her through knowing eyes.

The door closing behind the last of the stragglers was strangely troubling. Teri still turned though-now alone-to Veidt.

He took a breath, breaking his stare as he stood from his seat. Pocketing his hands in his dark slacks, his jacket parting easily from his arms, he ambled over. He didn't open his thin lips until he was beside her, leaning against the black table, his hands moving from his pockets to casually support himself. He waited until Teri raised her gaze to his. "I'm not sure how I feel about shifting the focus to strictly women." He told her, softly.

His voice was soothing, gentle. It was alluring, and relaxed, but Teri tried to remember that he was a murderer, and that a murderer could be quite persuasive and sweet, despite their disposition. She was proof of that. "If you'd like, I can re-do it." Teri replied, eyeing the copy that still rested at the end of the table, looking oddly exposed.

Adrian shook his head, pursing his lips thoughtfully. "That won't be necessary." He crossed his feet. "I didn't say I didn't like it." He assured her.

Teri had worked for Veidt for nearly a year now, and though she moved up quickly, do to the lack of employees, and though she had personally met with Adrian on several accounts, his presence still bothered her. Not only was she in the same room with the smartest, fastest, richest man in the world, but she intended to bring him to his knees. It was unnerving to look her prey in the eyes. Teri wasn't for the thought of playing with her victims; 'Don't tell 'em you're gonna kill 'em, just kill 'em.' Things always went wrong with the people that let out long lectures before they executed someone, and Teri felt that that was exactly what she was doing. The longer she worked here, the higher the chances that he would suspect something, if not already.

"I want the line to continue forward." Veidt sustained, unaware of her inner turmoil. "Emily seemed to put her trust in you when she appointed you her representative," A lock of long blond hair fell in front of his eyes as he turned his head to her, and he reached up, casually brushing it away. "I'm putting my trust in you, too." He told her, dangerously.

Teri swallowed. "I wont let you down."

Adrian smiled, knowing more than he was willing to let on. "No, I don't suspect that you will."

"Is that all, sir?"

"No." Adrian added quickly. His eyes trapped hers for a long moment. "What happened to your face?" His asking had no lining of inappropriate manner towards her, merely a gentle caring.

Teri blushed widely and looked away. "Uh, a mugging." Teri lied, hurriedly. _Slow down, fool!_ She hoped he couldn't hear her heart beating, for it was loud in her ears.

Adrian smiled, noting her unease. "Were you doing the mugging, or was it the other way around?"

Teri shot him a look; He was messing with her. Teri attempted a half smile. "I'm afraid if I answer that, I may incriminate myself." She joked.

Adrian chuckled; it was throaty, pleasant. "Yes, well, we can't have that, now can we?"

Teri shook her head. "No." she replied, her blush fading.

"I understand that you take a taxi home?" Adrian brought up, pushing past their joke onto the more serious notion of it. "Perhaps you would feel more safe with a company car?"

Teri froze. _A company car?_ "I…I don't have a license." Teri replied, making small excuses. Oh, how a company car would be much nicer and cheaper compared to the daily taxi calls.

Adrian considered this. "I could arrange for someone to pick you up."

Teri tried to remember to breath, "Sir, I cant… I…" She stopped her stuttering to furrow her brow at him. "I don't understand..."

Adrian shrugged, his eyes glued to her face. "I want to ensure that my employees are safe, that's all." He told her, "Should you have a driver, perhaps you would be less inclined to be in the range of attack."

Teri shook her head. _Jesus, what is it with everyone and my safety lately. I get one bruise and everyone freaks out_. "No, I can't accept-."

"-A five percent raise atop that, perhaps. You _have _been here for quite a while…"

Teri's words caught themselves in her throat.

Adrian sighed. "Done then." He shoved himself off of the table. "Keep up the good work." He commented before heading for the door, passing the flabbergasted Teri. Before his hand landed on the doorknob he turned back, "How is little Alice, by the way?"

Teri gathered herself, placing a hand on her stomach: a feeble attempt to stiffed the butterflies. "Doing well, thank you." She replied, shakily.

"Four months now, is she?"

Teri nodded, "Yes, sir. Almost five."

Adrian nodded, taking that in. "Yes, yes," He rather enjoyed the little girl when Teri brought her in, every once in a blue moon. His hand found the silver door handle. "There'll be a car waiting for you outside when you're done for the day." He cooed, throwing her a gentle smile before leaving.

Teri waited for the door to click shut before she placed a hand on her hip while her finger rubbed her temple: A headache was starting to form. "Fuck, just _fuck_."

* * *

"You ever notice that Teri cusses a lot?" Ashley asked, as Walter cornered himself in the baby's room while she changed Alice's diaper.

_Girl talks too much._ Rorschach commented as Walter averted his eyes from what Ashley was doing. It was the third time today that Alice had soiled herself. Even _he _didn't used the toilet that often. "Funny, considering she grew up in a catholic school." He answered, raising his voice loud enough so that Ashley could hear him from the other side of the room.

Ashley nodded, uncaringly. "Yeah, she doesn't do it around Alice, but boy, she could sure make some sailors proud."

Walter managed a smile. Taking his focus back onto the colors that the room was decorated in: last night, he hadn't gotten a chance to fully appreciate the lightly shaded walls, the colorful books upon a half-sized bookshelf, the matching curtains on the closed window. Walter took it all in; it seemed like a lot for just a little baby, but the room, nonetheless, was aesthetically pleasing to the eyes.

"How'd you two meet?" Ashley asked, suddenly.

He gazed at her before answering, fiddling with one of Alice's tiny socks that was laid across the top of a wooden dresser beside him. "Teri didn't tell you?"

Ashley shrugged, applying some baby powder to Alice's butt. "No, she did. But I like to hear the story."

He cocked an eyebrow at her; what a strange girl. "She stalked me." Walter answered shortly. He wasn't good at telling stories.

Ashley laughed, throwing him a look. "I haven't heard _that _version."

"What did _she _tell you?" Walter was clearly amused.

Ashley placed a new, soft diaper on Alice. "She said that _you _glommed on to _her_." She replied, lightly.

Rorschach scoffed as Walter rolled his eyes. "She lies."

Ashley sighed, "There, done." she took up the dirty diaper in her hand and turned to Walter. "See, its not so bad." She knew he'd have to learn to do it one of these days, but could understand his leeriness at first. "Here, you take Alice, I got the diaper."

Walter waited until she was out of sight with the full load before heading over to his daughter. She was shirtless, looking up at him with wide, blue eyes: his eyes. She suddenly smiled, bursting into a fit of laughter. Walter started. What did he do? She continued that shrill, rumbling laugh as he rubbed his fingers over her belly. She closed her eyes, reaching for his fingers, her face screwed up in glee.

Walter smiled down at her. He had always had a soft spot for children, being that he wished upon them a better childhood than he'd had. He'd always wanted them to be safe. But Alice pulled at his heart like none other had, not even little Blaire. Alice was his child. His baby girl. He swore to never let anyone hurt her, to never let anyone touch her in a way that was unbecoming of a human being.  
Rorschach crossed his arms-not really minding the promises-but more rather thinking into the future. _She's gonna grow up soon, can't always protect her._ Walter shrugged. Maybe they'd clean up the city so that he wouldn't have to protect her. He knew that was a lie, Even if he did make a small impact to the city, he'd never stop watching over her. _She'll find someone to care for her one day. To marry her…_ Walter frowned; Nope. Never.

* * *

Teri shuffled through the headshots and portfolios of women that had applied to be in the magazine advertisement. Hours had already gone by, and they'd (being her and her co-workers) had chosen fifteen blond models. Of which, would be Teri's final choice of who would finally be featured. Teri shook her head, placing her head on the desk in her little cubicle. Why? God why, did her boss have to give her this assignment? Her eyes bore into the ceiling above the rest of the marketing offices. "Hate you." She mouthed to no one in particular. Teri placed her arms over her head, taking the bobby-pins from her hair; they had served their purpose today. Teri moaned, closing her eyes as her arms went limp. She was so tired. She just wanted to go home. Plus, on top of that, she was having a hard time focusing on her game today: She wanted to be alone with Walter. Throw him down on the bed and take him, if she had too. She smiled. That would a sight for sore eyes.

"Heard about the 'after' meeting with Adrian."

Teri despairingly squinted open an eye to peer at her co-worker; Beverly. "So?" Teri groaned.

Her African American friend in leopard print tights and a jet black tank top smiled down at her from the open door of the grey cubicle. "You got a raise, and a company car." she wiggled her eyebrows. "I take it you did more than present the new line, eh? _Eh_?" Beverly leaned down to elbow Teri.

"Bev!" Teri sat up, frowning at her from her roller chair. "I pretty sure Adrian is gay." She told her, disdainfully.

Beverly rolled her eyes. "Say what you want," She told her, "But I think he's _smokin_'." Teri scoffed, but before she could open her mouth to retort, Beverly started again. "Still workin' on that page for Enigma?" Beverly asked, eyeing the papers on Teri's plain desk. It alluded her to as why Teri didn't decorate her office with much more that just a wall calendar, a clock and a picture of Alice. Beverly had decorated her personal cubicle in a range of colors, not a single space of the grey, carpeted wall was left exposed.

Teri nodded, tiredly. "Unfortunately."

Bev stared at her for a moment, catching the woman's frustration. "You got somewhere else you'd rather be?"

In bed. "Yes."

"Hm." Beverly knew that look in a woman's eyes, 'course she hadn't ever seen it in Teri's, but it was nice to know that she was getting some; At last. "'bout time you found a man."

She licked her lips, shaking her head. "I'm not telling you a thing." Beverly was one of the more pronounced gossipers of the company. She knew everything that was going on, everywhere. Teri refused to give up what little pride she had.

A smile appeared on Beverly's lips. "That just means the sex aint good enough."

Teri's jaw dropped, ensuing in a wide smirk from her friend.

Beverly pointed to Teri's cheek, before she could reply. "Though, if he hits you again, honey, I'm takin' his ass _down_."

Teri stood up as Beverly headed off down the row of cubicles to her own. "It was a _mugging_!" Teri called after her, throwing her hands up in the air, incredulously.

* * *

Rorschach gave in, only momentarily, as he held his daughter in his arms. He was starting to like this chubby little redheaded baby. _Guess she's a part of us now_. He commented, as Alice reached up and grabbed his nose; Walter wrinkled it.

Ashley nodded to him from the other end of the couch. "I told you you'd get the hang of it."

Walter sidelong glanced at her, as Alice still had a firm grip on his face, her other hand exploring his recently shaved cheek. Ashley had told her that Alice wouldn't take long to come to the realization that they were related, he just needed to spend a lot of time around her. Bonding takes time, she'd said.  
Rorschach shrugged, he wasn't sure how he felt about having a daughter, despite the fact that it gave him almost a newfound reason to continue what he did best._ Maybe we should start soon. Go out tonight, maybe?_ Walter considered this. He really just wanted to spend time with Teri. Perhaps tomorrow night? Rorschach shook his head. _Don't go getting soft. Just cause we have a kid doesn't mean we should slack and become lazy._

Ashley sighed into the confines of the all consuming couch and glanced at her watch. "Hey! Time fly's when you're having fun, right?" Walter gave her a look that could have killed, but she ignored it: being here with him wasn't easy either. "It's almost six, Teri should be home soon." She gazed at Alice, her naptime was steadily approaching, and it was obvious; Alice had been slowing down, her eyes drooping slightly. "Want me to take her?"

"No." Walter answered, almost too quickly.

* * *

Teri slid out of the back of the slick black company car, her brown paper bag that she'd gotten from the drug store in her hand. "Thanks." She commented lightly to the driver, failing to mention what time she'd like to be picked up tomorrow. Her feet touched the pavement, clicking delightfully. Teri stared upwards, she knew that she wouldn't be able to see her apartment windows, but the sight of the building granted her a sense of excitement. She'd waited all day to just come home. Teri rushed inside, not bothering to take the elevator, as she started up the stairs. It was a good workout, trekking up and down five flights of stairs everyday, but it was a bloody pain in the ass if she forgot something back in her apartment. Her hand slid easily up the varnished railing, and she started to feel a slight burn in her legs by the fourth flight, but she didn't slow. Teri's keys were out of her jacket pocket before she reached the door, dangling metallically in the eerie silence of the building.

When she came inside, she tried her best to not come barreling through. Her apartment was quiet as she tossed her keys to the side table, and kicked off her shoes before treading into the living room. Her feet thanked her profusely, enjoying the semi-soft carpet of her apartment. Teri sighed as her sight fell across the three most important people in her life.

Ashley looked at her over the back of the light brown couch; she was sitting a seat away from Walter on the three person couch.

Walter peered back at her as well, Alice laying on his chest, nearly asleep. When Teri walked close enough and Alice caught sight of her, she perked up, shrieking in joy. Walter started, wincing at the youths excitement.

Teri promenaded and leaned over the back of the couch, her lips touching the top of Alice's forehead and she set the brown paper bag on the head of the couch.  
"Hey sweetie." Teri made loud kissing noises as Alice gurgled and chortled.

"How'd that meeting go?" Ashley asked.

Teri drew back from her baby, "Oh, it went well." She tilted back down to kiss Walter on the cheek; butterflies fluttered in her stomach. "Hey, you." His cheek was smooth, warm. "You shaved." She commented, affectionately.

Walter lifted a shoulder, restraining the child in his arms as she flailed and tried to reach for Teri. "Found a razor in the bathroom, didn't think you'd mind."

Teri smirked as she unbuttoned her dress jacket, stepping back from the rear of the couch. "You didn't want to wait for me to do it?" she teased, remembering the last time she'd shaved him; It was one of her favorite memories of Walter.

Ashley took hold of Alice, freeing Walter from the shifty child. "Still don't trust you with sharp objects." He replied, emotionlessly, as he straightened his shirt. His chest went oddly, chillingly cold from the child's absence.

The brunette teenager caught the scoff from Teri as she looked between then, holding Alice in her gentle arms. "What?" Ashley asked, her eyes shifting between them. "Why what'd she do?" She finally asked Walter.

"Tried to kill me." Walter replied, flicking his eyes back to Teri, still behind the couch, removing her jacket, revealing a white, low cut blouse. Rorschach frowned, _she wore that in public? Seems… whorish_. Walter brushed the thought aside.

"I did not." Teri replied, coldly.

"Narrowly missed jugular." Walter countered, turning around and staring at the blank TV that had remained off the entire day.

"It was a knick on your jaw." Teri corrected, eyeing Ashley, who was busy looking between them. Teri tried to give her a convincing look, but as Walter spoke, Ashley's eyes left hers.

"Don't listen to her."

Teri took note of the subtle change in his voice, that deep rumble of a voice, how it softened rather than lowered. He was playing with her. She relished how she could remember such small details about him after so long. She paused, staring at him for a moment before she took her few steps to the couch, pressing herself to the back of it- and reaching around-Teri covered Walters mouth from behind. "Better be nice," she whispered, warningly, in his ear. "Or next time, I wont miss." Teri placed a chaste kiss by the corner of his eye as his breath started to tickle her fingers.

Teri let him go then, eager to get out of her work clothes, as she proceeded to her bedroom; feeling Walters eyes on her back as she snatched up the brown paper bag to take with her.

As Alice bounced on her lap, Ashley rolled her eyes. She recognized that oh so sweet tension between the two: This was her cue to leave.

Walter shifted uncomfortably in his seat, his palms rubbing against the knees of his pants.

Ashley sighed. "Go on, go chase her or whatever." She moaned, the last thing she wanted to do was impeach on the intimate time of the two. _Heaven forbid_ they might wait a few minutes. "I'll put Alice to bed and then I'm gone." She pulled Alice closer to her as she stood, and left Walter to his thoughts.

* * *

Teri reached up her skirt to her garter and unhooked her stocking; her foot up on the mattress, allowing her a better reaching angle. The bedroom door slowly opened, but she didn't have to look to know it was Walter. He sauntered in, closing the door behind him. Teri eyed the paper bag that she'd tossed on the bed before switching legs. "How was your day today?" she asked him.

Hands wandered her side before wrapping around her and pulling her against his firm body. It felt so good. A blush rose from her cheeks as her leg stood, abandoned at the foot of the mattress. She leaned back into him, reaching her own hand up to touch his smooth face as he buried it within her shoulder, breathing deeply.

"We'll save talk for later." He growled in reply.

His hair tickled the side of her head as he tightened his grip on her. His lips found the skin of her neck, and taking it into his mouth, he bit down.

Teri's breath hissed back into her lungs as a deep shiver ran down her spine, her body threatening to go limp in his arms. Instead, Teri craned her neck to allow him better access as his lips started to trail up her neck. His fingers constricted against the silk material of her blouse; he wanted to rip it off, to toss it aside…

She found his mouth first, softly biting at his lips. Running her fingers through his hair, she felt the coarse, red hair that stuck out in all directions on his head. Teri closed her eyes, relishing in the moment, fearing for it all to be taken so abruptly away. "I shouldn't have gone for work." She breathed out, the air in her lungs catching in her throat as his hand slid under her skirt. Her jaw clinched together, as his rough hand angled further down, answering her statement in kind: Walter _clearly _felt the same.

Her body tightened in his embrace and still holding her close with his free arm, he too closed his eyes, delighted with the whimpers that left her lips.

Her mind blurred with feelings, textures, scents and sounds as the next few minutes past, as she used every ounce of her being to move their endeavors to the bed-and to open that little paper bag-helping Walter into his protective sheath. It took every ounce of her being to silence her initial cry of submission as Walter slid into her. His thrusts slow and cherished, as he took great care to keep his eyes open; to watch her as he moved inside of her.

Walter not only took pleasure in the many expressions that Teri held, but also in her embrace; her warm, wet embrace. Aside from its ultimate gratification from such a lengthy dearth, there was a familiarity in it. A welcoming comfort that had not been met in a long time.  
Teri's hand found his, as his thrusts became more defined, more steady, and she intertwined their fingers, squeezing his hand in yet another comfort that Walter had near forgotten.

* * *

Their ecstasy now long gone, Teri and Walter laid side by side, each moment of their interlude accented by a simple smile. She warmly ran her fingers over his face, tracing his cheekbones as she kept his piercing stare. They had pulled the covers up around themselves, their bodies intertwined for not only warmth, but security.

Walter never took his eyes from hers, taken captive by her green irises. He took that long moment, as her eyelids started to droop with exhaustion and drowsiness, to breathe her in. To savor their time together here in the soft bed, their legs entangled as their bodies recovered from their recent activities. He hoped-with a light heart-that there would be more of those nights to come. That they could lay in each other arms and just be. Walter sighed, his fingers finding the palm of her free hand. He could feel her breath against his own; as they shared the same pillow. "Never got to tell me about your day."

Teri smiled, a low sigh escaping her and she closed her eyes, breaking their gaze. "Not counting what just happened, it was great."

"And Veidt?" Rorschach couldn't help himself with that; he wasn't one for the lovey-dovey hoopla after they had sex. He wanted to get to work.

Teri's eyes came open, resting on the bleak curiosity that lined his features. "He gave me a raise." She whispered, her hand dropping from his face to the limited space between them. "and a company car."

Now it was Walters turn to not be able to help himself. "Why?" A fling of jealously passed through him. How dare that purple-wearing homosexual-

"I'm a temp-charge of the advertisement for the new line." Teri answered, not entirely catching his turmoil. "I suspect he did it 'cause he liked my work." She wondered if maybe she was lying to Walter.

"Don't like this." Walter stated. If Adrian suspects something-

"I've been there for nearly a year, Walter." Teri sighed, "Its about time I got a raise anyway." There was a part of her that longed for him to express a sense of joy for her. She worked hard for that, couldn't he see that?

Walter bit his lip.

That feeling came back: that impending doom feeling. Teri didn't approve of its arrival-but as much as she'd have liked to suppress it-she was seeing it happen, just like it had before. Teri was losing him. He was fading from her grasp.  
Where was the man that had been here last night, this morning? The caring man that had now seemingly come and gone? _You're expecting too much_. Teri told herself. _Walter isn't the type to change for anyone. He's still just as unemotional and detached as he always was_… Teri bit back a quiver. _It was merely wishful thinking._ She licked her lips, knowingly.

There was a part of her that wished he'd said something along the line of 'I can't live without you,' or 'I wanted to kill myself, thinking you were dead,' … But she knew it wasn't like him. He was more dignified than that; not only did he not ever _say _such things, he also never _felt _them. He hadn't looked any worse for wear when she found him than when she'd first met him. Perhaps with her out of the picture, nothing ever changed for him… Teri shut her eyes, willing her thoughts to stop. She didn't want to think about such things anymore. _Just enjoy the goddamned moment_. Would they ever just have one moment in peace?

Walter watched her, he knew he'd crossed the line in mentioning Veidt. This was 'their' time, such business talk was supposed to be left for other, less personal times. He let it be; let it rest for the moment. Perhaps tomorrow he would bring it up again. Maybe remind her to be more careful around him. It didn't matter how brilliant her plan was, there was always the possibility of Veidt seeing right through it. He was worried for her. Rorschach moaned. _Don't even know plan and already fretting. _

Walter noted that Teri's breathing had slowed, her eyes remaining closed as her hand in his went dully limp. She had fallen asleep. Enough indulgence. Its time to work. He felt bad, just using her like that, and not once telling her how he felt today while he held his daughter in his arms, taking particular notice to how much she looked like him. Walter wanted to tell her his feelings, to express his need for her in a way other then this. Walter leaned forward, placing a agile kiss on her forehead._ Isn't cleaning up the city, enough show of care?_ Rorschach prodded, hitting the right buttons. _Teri will understand._ He stared at her a moment longer; her face relaxed into a gentle serenity. _Teri always understands.

* * *

_

It wasn't the movement that woke her, nor the quiet rustling of clothes, but rather the bitter cold from his absence, the warmth that wasn't easily satisfied by her thin blankets.

Teri opened her eyes, immediately adjusting to the pitch black darkness. She reached out for Walter, the hairs on the back of her neck standing alert. He wasn't there. Teri jolted, bringing the sheets around her as she sat upright in the bed, peering through the darkness.

A figure loomed over by her window: The only window in the house that led to the fire escape. It had uneasily reminded her of her days at Shairps. "Walter?" Teri whispered to the darkness. She wondered momentarily if maybe she was dreaming, but the figure turned from the window, the darkness around them unwilling to offer any assistance to whom the figure was.

"No." Rorschach growled.

Teri's heart calmed. Only slightly. "Come back to bed." She pleaded, with a yawn as she quickly glanced to the alarm clock by the bed; 10:09 pm. She really didn't want him roaming around the streets after so soon arriving back in town. That voice in the back of her head couldn't stop from mentioning how selfish that thought was.

Rorschach turned back to the window. "Not now. Go back to sleep. Have work tomorrow."

_You're losing him._ "Rorschach,"

Their moment was interrupted as a cry came over the baby monitor.

Teri pursed her lips. She didn't want Walter to leave her. She wanted to start a family with him, to start over like a proper family. "Rorschach," she called, "Please, don't go." Her eyes adjusted to the darkness, and she caught the ever-shifting movement of the mask covering his face.

"Have job to do." Rorschach rasped, turning back to the window, roughly pushing it up with his hands. "Like you do."

Teri opened her mouth to question that, but he was out the window and on the fire escape before she could. She briefly caught sight of his costumed figure sliding gracefully down the stairs before Teri fell back onto the mattress, the pillows caving under her sudden weight. She closed her eyes, bringing her hands up to the bridge of her nose as Alice's sobs continued through the monitor.

So much for wishful thinking.


	5. Less than Ordinary

**A.N: Well... here's another one. Enormous thanks for RedNymph234 for helping me with this! hopefully now its much better. ; ) Also to RumAndCocaCola; it was totally a shout out. Kudos for recognizing it! Hopefully this chapter finally clears things up. Unfortunately not a whole lot of action, but its coming. promise. thus, patience. Otherwise; Enjoy!  
**

**(Updated 2/3/11)**

**Chapter 5: Less than Ordinary **

_Rorschach's Journal. November 27th, 1986._  
_Teri survived Veidts decimation of the city. had a child. my child. shocked as I was, I have work to do. utopia made up of metal and lies, wont fix itself…_

It was sickening. Sickeningly terrifying as he walked down the rebuilt streets. Every building, whether finished or not, bore a plaque that stated something along the lines of 'Materials funded and donated by Adrian Veidt, C.O. pyramid enterprises'. The streets were littered with advertisements and newspapers.

His eyes scanned the filthy streets around him, the buildings that looked scarcely new but worn. His chest tightened. It was hard to get Alice out of his mind, hard to not think about his daughter. Her face haunted him when he closed his eyes; he would agree that he thought he loved her, but at what cost? She would grow up with less than ordinary parents, who sought revenge and roamed the streets in a costume. He didn't want that for her. She should be in a family where the parents spoiled her, and sent her to a private school or spent the summers in a house on the lake.

Her blue eyes stuck out to him the most, but only because they were _his _eyes. A shiver ran down his spine, but not from the bitter chill as he listened the numerous car alarms and shouts.

What if she turned out like him? Antisocial and vengeful… what if she decided to walk in his footsteps?- 'The end is nigh', a mask fighting crime…  
He stuffed his hands in his pockets, trying to block such ideas from his mind. Teri's scent rising all around him from her recent wear of them. The aroma caused his thoughts to trail to places where he'd rather them not while he was working.

An advertisement from one of Veidts magazines fluttered in the late November breeze, coming to a gentle stop on his leg: It was the second within two days. Rorschach sneered as he kicked it off.

Despite Teri's apparent plan, he hated the idea of Teri working for the very man she was planning to take down. Teri was inexperienced, immature, and inattentive to what she left behind. Veidt was a smart man, one who wouldn't cower if she raised a gun to his head. Teri wouldn't have a chance to take him out, especially if he suspected something off about her, for he wouldn't hesitate to strike. Veidt's utopia was too important to risk for the simple life of some annoying mother.

Rorschach stopped on the corner of 42nd and frowning, he gazed around. There were fewer hookers, the streets less caked with dirt, but brightly lit neon signs still decorated many windows, their light providing more haunting shadows on the streets and adjacent structures.  
He didn't recognize any building, each twisted sheet of metal and steel formed into objects of worship for Veidt. It made Rorschach sick. To think, the one man that he once called a fellow crime fighter, turned to the darker side of their trade.

Rorschach took a breath of chilly air, the inside of his face moist and sticky. He turned down the street to where his apartment building used to stand, by now, the rubble had been cleaned, and the plot where Shairps building once stood, now a tall sky-rise: even where Gunga Diner had been was replaced.

Rorschach sighed as a passerby gave him a double take before booking it down the street. The panicking citizen didn't disturb his thoughts, nor did the unease of walking around unstopped by the local crime force. It was as if he had been let off the hook for every accusation. But he didn't linger on that, for it wasn't necessarily a bad thing.

Rorschach stopped on the curb, his feet rocking on the edge of it. A memory of Teri came to him as he gazed at the plot where the Gunga Diner once stood; she stared down into her coffee, bundled in worn clothing.

_"Maybe I'm the one that needs a friend." _

Teri had changed so much; She'd grown up. He couldn't say that he wasn't disappointed in her maturity, but she just wasn't the women that he'd gone and gotten himself attached too. Having children can do that…? Walter pondered.

Rorschach turned and peered down one of the alleyways; all was quiet. "Hurm." He didn't think that that was what happened to her. We'll investigate. Walter commented. Rorschach moaned; no. He wasn't going to have any part in that. Walter could handle that himself for all Rorschach cared. Walter was better at the sentimental crap anyway.  
Rorschach turned down that alley, suspicious of its unnatural appeal. He stepped uncaringly in a puddle, his reflection rippling and faltering in the water as he continued on.

There was something else bugging him about Teri. He had understood why she'd taken the job with Bernard when she'd first arrived her; to keep a low profile. But he didn't understand why she'd gone and got herself hired on with Veidt. Revenge was one thing, but actually getting the job was a completely different story. A single year with Veidt couldn't have possibly gotten her the job she had now. Unless… Unless there was something going on that she hadn't shared with him. Rorschach considered this, but before he got too far in his thought process, a scream woke him, turning his attention back to the alleyway he was in. Before he rushed into something, he made a mental note to ask her in the morning about it. The time was up for sentimental beginnings, it was time to get down to business.

* * *

Teri wiped her mouth on the white towel that hung on a wooden loop beside the mirror in her bathroom before placing her wet toothbrush in a small cup on the corner of the sink. When she stood up, her hands trailing down to straighten her grey blouse, the male reflection in the recently empty mirror startled her.  
Teri whipped around, her hand on her chest. "Jesus, Walter," She took a breath, supporting herself on the edge of the sink as she eyed him. "When did you get back?" She distinctly remembered waking up to an equally empty bed. She wasn't going to lie; she had thought the worst.

He rested against the doorframe, his hands in his pockets; in the same clothes he'd worn last night, minus his costume. "Twenty minutes ago." He told her, impassively.

Teri raised an eyebrow. "Still not into knocking, are we?"

He shook his head: he'd come through the window, as per usual. The window in her bedroom was the only access to the fire escape for the building. His mind was reeling with the thoughts that had been cooking in his mind, the thoughts that Rorschach had started. He felt the need to settle them, right then. No more waiting.

Teri felt those oddly familiar eyes burning into her, that uncomfortable flutter appearing in her stomach.

"Thought you said you didn't normally dress like that." He stated, suddenly.

Teri looked down at herself; dress slacks and a blouse. "I-I don't."

"Meeting was yesterday." He cocked a brow, suspiciously. "Have another today?"

Teri adjusted her shirt, self-consciously; she just thought she'd send a better impression dressed nicely. "No." _What's wrong with him?_ Teri ran a hand through her hair before brushing past him and heading into the kitchen. She hadn't gotten Alice up yet, and wanted to prepare her food. _Don't have time for this. The driver will be here any minute…_

"Been thinking." Walter started again, following her into the cozy area. Teri stopped at the sink, needlessly placing her hands on the rim. "How does someone like you end up where you are now?" It was a point that Rorschach had brought up last night, one that both wanted answered.

Teri whipped around, blinking at him. "What?"

"Never thought of you as a professional woman." Walter replied, walking closer, his hands still in his pockets. At his approach, Teri backed herself into the counter.

"You can't be serious." Teri said with a frown. _Is he interrogating me?_ His words had hit her hard: They had been delivered in the same fashion as those that were about her involvement in the Detroit incident. Walter was now less than a few feet away from her, his eyes never leaving hers.

"Never been more serious." Walter stated, his eyes never leaving hers. _Hiding something, Walter._ Rorschach prodded. _Something she failed to share. _

Teri rolled her eyes, breaking his assertive fix on her. Great. He _was _interrogating her. "Look, we'll talk about it when I get home." She tried to make a move around him, but he stopped her with a firm hand.

"Said that yesterday. Think its time to talk. Now."

She pursed her lips together. She didn't like it when Walter started this shit. "I have to go to work."

"Call in."

"I can't." She was back against the kitchen counter now, Walter stern eyes bearing into hers.

The cordless phone had been lying beside the sink, and Walter reached behind her to retrieve it. "Call it in." He placed it in her hand.

Teri stared up at him. Wasn't this what she had wanted yesterday? To spend the day with him, to catch up on things that they hadn't yet been able to share? She had thought that his playfulness would have been sexy, but as she stood under him, trapped in her own kitchen, she wondered about her sanity. Teri swallowed before shaking her head. "I have a photo shoot to direct-"

Walter swiftly nabbed the phone from her hands and pressed it to his ear after jabbing at a button. "Operator, Pyramid enterprises-"

Teri snatched it back, suddenly, as she realized that she'd lost the bout. "Jesus, Walter, they won't know you." She hissed, defeated as she eased it to her ear; She suddenly felt very much like a hostage. Not in a good way.

Walter let out his own breath of relief and triumph as he supported himself on the counter, hands on either side of her. He wasn't going anywhere until Teri carried this out.

While the operator directed the call, Walter eyed the cheap tan countertop, the curtain-less window above the sink; the sun barely reaching over the top of the sill. His eyes found the white refrigerator, decorated with many useless magnets, then the wobbly table in the middle of the room behind them, its two chairs pushed in, the high chair sitting empty beside them. It was a small kitchen, but rather homely. Similar to the one at Shairps. Walter considered this, then beat the thought to death.

"Yes, marketing department please." Teri asked politely, she waited as Walter patiently glanced around the room, his body heat invading her space and made her a little warmer than she preferred. As his eyes strayed from hers, she started to feel a bit more comfortable.  
"Yes, Marcee? Its Teri." She paused, staring up at the ceiling as Walters eyes came back to her. "Can you tell Mrs. Neuberg that I won't be in today?" Another pause, then Teri cleared her throat. "It seems that Alice has a bit of a cough." Pause. "Yeah, I know, I'm probably over-reacting, but I want to have it checked out, just in case." Teri lied, still refusing to make eye contact with the man that had her trapped between him and the kitchen counter. "I will." She licked her lips. "Yes, I already talked to Derek about that.-"

Walter listened to the quiet chattering on the other end of the line; It was too muted to make any sense of it.

"Yes, of course, thank you Marcee." The phone moved from her ear as she pressed a red button on the phone. "Happy?" She inquired harshly, meeting Walters somewhat softened gaze.

"Not yet." He answered. "Need you to answer some questions for me."

Teri crossed her arms; they grazed against Walters chest. "Go on, then." She had really needed to go into work today, no matter how adverse she'd felt about it.

"Need you to explain relations with Veidt." Walter started, his brows coming together. He was still confused about how close she was with him. "Don't understand how you can go from being a newsvendor to having meetings with him." Personally he preferred her being a newsvendor; despite the danger, it was still safer than working with Veidt.

Teri sighed, "It's a long story." She told him, disgruntled.

Walter lifted an eyebrow. "Long day ahead."

She rolled her eyes. Sometimes she just wanted to slap that man. "Can we take it to the couch?" His closeness was beginning to get unnerving again.

Walter hesitated, wondering if perhaps Teri might make a break for it. She had been known to try something like that. After a long moment of deliberation, he nodded, stepping back to allow her space. Watching her like a hawk, he followed her easily into the adjacent room, his bare feet thankful of the abrupt change from the cold linoleum to the carpet.  
A moment later he was beside Teri on the tan couch. She stared at her hands for a moment, reflecting on the next words she was going to speak. Little did she know that the longer she waited, the more and more that Walter had decided that something was going on. He urged himself to calm down: he'd only been here for a little over a day and already he was accusing Teri of something illegal? He had to have been blowing things out of proportion. Surely.

"Look," Teri started, bringing Walter from his thoughts. She decided that maybe she should start and the beginning. "After the attack on the city, Veidt sent out reimbursement checks to those in need; within the letter that he'd sent to everyone, he mentioned that his company was in desperate need of employees."  
She shrugged, her eyes still averted from the man that sat on the other end of the couch, listening. "I didn't like the thought of going to work for him, but I had this feeling." She gestured to her stomach. Not to mention that she had an obligation to her child.

"Before I came here," She continued, going back in her story, "Before I came to New York that is," she clarified, "I had recently completed my Associates degree-"

Walter's face wrinkled in confusion. "In what?" He interrupted.

"Business." Teri answered, eyeing him. "Anyway, I was working on my Bachelors in Marketing when the Detroit incident happened."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Walter asked, his eyebrows furrowed. He'd never known that Teri had gone to college. He tried to remember whether she'd mentioned it in her journal, but he couldn't recall.

Teri shrugged. "It never came up." She told him lightly; obviously it wasn't a big deal. "When I got here, I took the Newsvendor job because it was low profile. Bernard didn't ask questions that other places would." She explained, a slight falter in her voice when she mentioned Bernard: she quite missed him. "It was fast money, and I got to see where the police were in my case." She paused, breaking Walter stare.

"I didn't want to go back to something like that after the attack." Teri shrugged, "Thus, I started over again with Pyramid." Teri bit her lip. "I'm not anyone special there," She told him, bringing her eyes slowly back to his, a hint of embarrassment in her voice. "I was hired to shadow the director. You know, bring her coffee, make copies, staple packets together… shit like that." She took a breath.  
"About a week and a half ago, I was in my bosses office while she was working on samples for the new line." She lifted her shoulder in a half-shrug. "I made a simple suggestion, and I expected-as per usual for her-to put me back in line, but she liked my idea and asked me to give it a shot.  
"Its only temporary." Teri sighed, gesturing to her outfit. "Thus my attire. I wanted to make a good impression, I wanted them to know that I was competent enough to actually do the job." Teri lolled her head to the redhead beside her. "Happy?" She asked sarcastically. "I still have a shit job, just like everyone else on the damned planet."

The corner of Walter's lip twitched. "When did plan for Veidt come?"

"-not until after Daniel visited." Teri confessed. Walter was silent for a long minute, taking in everything that Teri had said. She took that moment to speak up. "So, now that I've spilled my pride all over the floor, you mind if I ask something?"

Walter's eyes shot to hers. He nodded his head as he swallowed.

Teri waited before asking her question, her tongue nervously running over her lips, as if wondering whether what she wanted to ask was out of line. "What took _you _so long to find me?"

He recoiled: He had known that she would ask that question sooner or later. "Teri," He whispered, trying to ignore the pain that had flickered across her face when she'd asked. "I was on the west coast." He knew that answer wouldn't sit well with her, so he continued before she could get the chance to dispute it. "At Karnak, when Veidt confessed-" he cleared his throat; oddly, it was tightening uncomfortably.

Emotions started to surface, ones that he'd hoped to keep suppressed as he explained his reasoning's. "I-I saw the destruction on the screen. Knew that you were pulling double shifts." He felt his hands start to moisten, his memory of that day haunting him. "Thought the worst." he confessed. His eyes had found his hands, wiping them nervously on his pants. "Left the traitors to their talk. Went to go tell the world of Veidts lies. Manhattan met me outside. Threatened me. Knew that he wouldn't let me go without killing me."

He paused for a long moment, but before Teri could reach forward to him, he continued. "Not really sure what happened then. Perhaps a lapse in morality. But, the next thing I knew, I was in California." He took a deep breath, and filling his lungs with precious air. "Thought you were dead." his voice had started to crack. "Traveled back, but took it slow. Knew that Veidt wasn't going anywhere." Teri had now scooted over to him. "Didn't know about Alice."

A stray tear fell from her eye, and Teri reached up to brush it away. It was hard to listen to his excuse, but despite that, now everything was clear, and the weight lifted from both of their shoulders. "See," she started, her own voice cracking as she attempted a smile. "Now we're both on the same page."

"Finally." Rorschach huffed, his shoulders a little less tense. "Had to threaten you to do it." He quipped.

Teri chuckled, leaning forward and placed a soft kiss on his cheek. "We should've talked about it sooner." She knew that it should have been the first thing to cross her mind, but somehow things had gotten mixed up.

"Shouldn't have been so… preoccupied." Walter whispered, relief washing over him with a twinge of guilt. The pain he could have saved her from if he'd returned earlier… perhaps he could have even stopped her from taking a job in Veidts utopia. Perhaps he could have convinced her to step down while he solved the problem.

A smile formed on her lips. So Manhattan had saved him after all… "I guess I'll have to thank Manhattan now, wont I?"

Rorschach frowned. _Still naïve to the fact that Manhatten played a role in flourishment of Veidt's empire. Still so naïve in general.

* * *

_

_Rorschach's Journal November 27th, 12:30pm_  
_more I think about it, more I don't like idea of Teri taking down Veidt. other watchmen couldn't win in battle against him, including me. have bad feeling. _  
_Teri said Daniel visited her. possibly has current address. need to see him. may help with dilemma. remember he swore silence on corruption, but curious as to what he might say now that I'm alive-_

"What are you writing?"

His eyes slowly found hers. Walter held back the sneer that Rorschach tried to urge to his face. Walter stared at Ashley for a long moment, trying to regain his own thoughts back.

Ashley raised her eyebrows inquiringly. "What?" She didn't like it when people stared like that. Ashley broke his intruding look and turned back to the baby in the high chair beside her. "I was just asking." She muttered, spooning another clump of baby food into Alice's mouth; Alice gurgled and spit half of it out, the pale food dripping down her chin.

Walter shifted his eyes to his baby girl, slightly put off by the goop that ran down her chin. With a sigh, he placed his pencil in binding as he closed his journal and crossed his arms on the wobbly wooden table.

He was getting jittery: Rorschach had a taste of getting back out on the street again last night, enjoying himself to the point of not returning until dawn. Rorschach was just itching to get back out on the streets, to don his face once more and find some of those copy-cats of his, to seek out a way to cleanse the city of Veidts reckoning.

Walter closed his eyes, feeling the fatigue his body harnessed from last night. It had been too long since he'd been out on the streets… His body prayed for a simple nap, but his mind refused to rest. Rorschach refused to rest.

_Need to find Daniel. Teri is in the bath, best time to talk to her. _Walter's jaw tightened. Perhaps it was too soon to speak with her about that. He hadn't thought that she liked the idea of him starting his work so soon. _Need to get out and about. Going stir-crazy in here._ Walter frowned. Teri had gone to take a bath after Ashley had arrived, and hadn't invited Walter in with her. He had the impression that she might have needed a little time to her self, to her thoughts. As he was. But Rorschach's nagging got to him and reluctantly he stood.

* * *

_"Never compromise… right?" Her hands held onto the sides of his face, looking deep into his eyes._

It kept her calm as her lungs burned. She accepted that trapped feeling, she welcomed it. Teri enjoyed the feel of the water surrounding her; her short hair billowing about her face, her hands glued to the sides of the porcelain tub. She enjoyed the silence, the break from life. It gave her a moment to organize herself. _"I'll just be the one waiting for you."_ She heard herself say. It felt good to look back on those memories and know that she had Walter back, that she would no longer spend another day staring into space, wondering if she'd ever be happy again.

It kept Teri composed as air escaped her lips. The darkness behind her eyes shuddering as she willed her body into submission. _Just a little longer…_

Teri remembered recently running her eyes over the photocopy of a piece from Rorschach's journal in the newspaper. It was one of the passages that had mentioned her name. There had been one or two articles about them trying to find out just who this mystery woman was in Rorschach's writings, and why he was fixated on her.  
She smiled inwardly. The world would find out soon enough…

* * *

Walter gently knocked on the door to the bathroom, a little fearful of her reaction that would be on the other side of the door. What would she say when he asked for Daniel's address?

His hand dropped to his side as he waited. Three seconds. Four. Five. Six. Seven… Ten seconds. He knocked again… nothing. He took in a deep breath, turning slightly to see Ashley peering out of the kitchen and staring curiously at him. Walter cleared his throat before he returned his focus to the door of the bathroom. His hands found the doorknob; he knew that Teri was in there. The bathroom was in clear view of the kitchen: they would have seen her leave. _Possible something's wrong? _

Walter pushed opened the door to the bathroom, a puff of warm air hitting him. He stepped inside, pulling the door closed behind him before glancing around the cramped room. The large tub in the corner was filled with water, white bubbles covering the top, hiding whatever was inside. Teri's glass of orange juice sat on the floor, next to the tub. Walter furrowed his eyebrows; Teri definitely wasn't in the room. He reached up, running a hand through his hair.

The water in the bathtub quivered, and Teri's head emerged from the water, her eyes closed as she gasped for air.

Refusing to admit that he had been startled, Walter watched as her hands smoothed out her hair before rubbing her eyes. Teri started when she caught sight of him out of the corner of her eye.

"Walter, jeese, when did you-"

He came foreword slowly, taking a seat on the closed lid of the toilet. "Didn't mean to scare you." Walter admitted.

She shook her head, "No, it's okay," Teri still struggled to regain her breath.

Walter wondered how long she'd been submerged. Her darkened hair was slick against her head, her body hidden by the foam atop the water. It was something that he'd missed, seeing her like this: completely human-like everyone else in the world-not terribly special to anyone but him. It caused a flock of butterflies to be released in his stomach.

Teri flicked her eyes to him, her hands playing with the soapy bubbles. She'd come in here to a take a moment to relax, and though she wanted Walter to share this time with her, she couldn't help but think that his presence meant something less tranquil. "Do you need something?" She asked, her voice barely above a whisper as she played with the bubbles in the middle of the tub.

Walter, his elbows resting on his knees, chewed on the inside of his cheek. "Need Daniel's address."

His words hit her hard. It hurt to her remember that Walter wasn't the romantic that would strip and jump into the water to take her. _A year apart tends to do this to perceptions._ Teri focused on her toes that protruded from the warm water. "It's in my address book." She answered, shyly.

"Still here in New York?" Walter inquired, not catching her tone.

She nodded, "He's in hiding with Laurie." Teri rolled her eyes, "They dyed their hair." She obviously didn't think too much of it. There they were, vigilantes too scared of the law that they went and changed everything about themselves. It seemed a little cowardly to Teri. She sighed then, shifting in the warm water that protected her body from Walter's eyes. "Planning on going to see him?"

"Mhmm." Walter answered, staring at his hands.

Teri lowered herself further into the water, her lips touching the surface of the bubbles. "Can I go?"

Walter brought his eyes to hers, seeing her innocence-her hesitation. "No."

"Why not?"

Rorschach groaned, he _hated _it when Teri whined. "Going to talk to him about getting back on the streets." Walter answered. "Planning on visiting him tonight under my face." Rorschach shuddered at the idea of going as Walter. It was embarrassing enough when Daniel broke him out of jail and saw him like this.

"What about Adrian?"

"Might come up in conversation." He shrugged.

"Why can't I go then?" Teri asked, sitting up in the water, her shoulders emerging from water, slick from the soap. "I was the one to think up the plan!" She relished the thought of running around with the trio: Rorschach, Silk Spectre, NiteOwl. She wouldn't lie; she'd thought about it the possibility of it since she'd found out about Walter's true identity. _God, it would be self-fulfilling._ "I mean, I've been parading around like you for months..."

Walter's tried to keep his eyes locked with hers. "No." He replied firmly. There was more than one reason why he didn't want Teri running the streets with him. "I nearly killed you. Can barely defend yourself, let alone fight." He argued, "Besides, you have an moral obligation to stay." The last thing he wanted was for something to happen to her and have Alice suffer-the mere though of Alice having to go to a children's home like he did was too much…

Teri's eyes narrowed. "And you don't?" She didn't argue that she might be a liability, but Walter had a chance of being killed too.

Walter held her stare with just as much contention. He didn't like what Teri was implying. "I'm a big boy." He growled.

"I'm a big girl." Teri countered.

Walter's mouth twitched. She'd walked right in her own trap. "Exactly." He replied.

Teri's brow furrowed. "Huh?"

"I am a man." Walter answered, slowly. "You, a girl. Period."

Teri scoffed, continuing to stare. "Are you _implying _something?"

Walter cocked an eyebrow, leaning forward. He waited for a moment before answering, fully meaning what he was about to say. "Women are the weaker sex."

Teri blinked at him, completely speechless. She knew he believed that, but it was odd to actually hear it come from his lips. It didn't hit her too terribly hard, especially seeing that subtle appearance of a smile.

Teri shook her head, her own smile slowly growing as an epiphany came to rushing into her head.

Walter had expected some kind of witty comment to escape her, but the longer her silence filled the room, the more he grew suspicious.

Alice's happy squeal from the kitchen distracted Walter from Teri's peculiar smile, and he turned his head towards the door, but as he did, he was helpless to react when Teri's hands gripped the front of his shirt and yanked.

The water from the tub sloshed and spattered as Walter came tumbling in. He struggled for a moment to get his head above the warm water, but Teri helped him to get into a comfortable position, unable to stop herself from laughing. She ran a hand through his hair, smiling up at him and his now wet self. _If he won't be the romantic, then damnit, I will. _Teri brushed a handful of foam bubbles off of his head. "What's this about the weaker sex?" She asked, lightly.

Walter spit water from his mouth, still recovering from the sudden fall as he tried to reposition himself over Teri, his hands trying to grip the slick porcelain and failing. "Let you do that. Saw it in your eyes." He locked gazes with her, cocking an eyebrow as water dribbled from his nose. "Getting too predictable."

"You're an ass."

* * *

"You called for me, boss?"

Adrian closed the cover of the leather bound journal before he looked up. He uncrossed his legs and un-reclined in his chair. He set the half-burnt journal on his mahogany desk as he trailed his eyes to the man standing on the other side of it. "Yes, Charlie, I did." He licked his lips, wondering briefly if his chapstick was in his pockets: It wasn't. How depressing. Adrian sighed, crossing his arms. "I need you to do me a favor." His head gestured to the brown envelope closest to Charlie, "I have a little hiccup that needs to be silenced."

Charlie took up the envelope, opening it with care and sliding the photograph out of its confines before flicking his eyes back to Adrian's, confused. "You sure about this boss?"

Adrian pursed his lips. "Quite sure, in fact." He glanced to the journal that sullenly rested in front of him, its corners burnt and worn. "I've recently had new information placed in my hands." He sniffed, "I'm afraid I can't risk it."

Charlie glanced once more at the photograph.

Adrian raised his brow at him, annoyed at Charlie's lingered presence. "Aren't you late for picking her up?"

"Called in sick." Charlie answered, quickly.

Adrian sighed, leaning forward and pressing the call button for his secretary. "Jess, darling, will you please inform Mrs. Nueberg that I'd like a second sample for the new Enigma line within the week?" He let go of the button, then turned to his trusted henchman. "We wouldn't want the line to be sacrificed if something _unfortunate _happened to Ms. Kovacs."


	6. Planned Destructionhood

**Hey guys, sorry its taken so bloody long for me to get this chapter out, I just got back into town (was on a VERY long roadtrip). But, here we are. My usual thanks to everyone, especially my beta reader- RedNymph, who i probably would have given up altogether without. Also many thanks to RumandCocaCola who has been ever so patient with me. ^.^ Also, though, btw, everyone that is leaving reviews-you guys are fuckin awesome. Hugs all around. I love you. **

**Disclaimer; I don't even own the paper on which I wrote my chapter.  
**

**(Updated 2/3/11)**

**Chapter Six; Planned Distructionhood **

"Are you sure you don't want me to come along?"

Walter adjusted his trench coat, bringing his eyes to Teri's beseeching ones. His answer was simple, for he'd voiced it several times today. "Yes."

Teri sighed, once more, like she had been doing all day, and plopped down on the mattress. "It's _my _plan though." She pouted.

He couldn't help but raise his eyebrow at her. Rorschach was jittery tonight-and wanted to go see Daniel as soon as possible-but Teri's constant bickering kept them both indoors. "Been over this before." Walter trotted over to the bed, snatching up his scarf before tying it firmly around his neck. Truthfully, he wasn't as confident as Teri was about this _plan_. Every time he ran it through his mind he couldn't help but wonder if Veidt would figure it out. _"I considered that,"_ She had told him. _"That's why it took me so long to get it together. Else, I would have done it earlier."_ It just wasn't-couldn't have been-as simple as she thought it was; taking down the smartest man in the world. _"Impossible, I know. But this will work."_ Walter pursed his lips as he stood before her, running his own plan of action through his head.

Regardless, Rorschach had made up his mind, and Teri was definitely _not _going with him. He took his eyes from her glowering form and rechecked the address that she'd written out on a scrap of paper for him. Teri shifted when he did, clearly kicking herself for not holding Daniels location hostage. Rorschach cleared his throat, not entirely comfortable in the silence she'd created after he'd refused her company.

"I still say you should call him." Teri announced childishly, and though Rorschach didn't stop the sudden clinching in his jaw, he wasn't at all surprised when she continued her smart-ass remark. "Its terribly rude to just 'drop-in'."

"You're _not _going." Rorschach blurted, distinctly remembering that the last time, almost a year ago, Teri had said something so very similar and he'd caved… _but not this time._ He decided, nearly stomping around the bedroom, trying to find the rest of his things-gloves, hat, face.

This would be the second night that Rorschach had gone out, wearing the costume that Teri herself had worn for months now. It was almost euphoric for Teri to see another living being putting on the items; it was almost as if the last year had been all a dream, and the déjà vu that lasted was merely an illusion. It brought a strange feeling to her core, but she brushed it aside.

Teri stood from her now warm spot on the edge of the bed and followed him, her arms crossed to articulate her opinion on the matter- as if her expression and manner didn't already. "At least be sure to give him and Laurie my regards." She insisted, knowing that her wrangling with him had already started to get on his nerves. She had however, hoped for a positive outcome, rather than the more common-and more likely-negative outcome.

"Will." He answered shortly, retrieving his gloves from their inconvenient hiding spot under the bed. He stood up, slipping them easily over his hands. Despite the cold texture of the gloves, he relished the familiarity with them, like old partners reunited. He almost smiled as his fingers flexed inside the leathery material.

Teri watched him finish dressing, still fumed about being denied access to Dan and Laurie like some underage teenager trying to get into a rated 'R' movie. It was unfortunate, but she hadn't contacted them since Dan had come to see her during her pregnancy, for he served as an empty reminder to Walters death and she forced herself to purge herself of their company. Teri was eager to find out how the two were faring-she never forgave herself for trying to ignore their minute friendship.

"Hey," Teri began, tearing herself from her thoughts, just as Walter started towards the window in their bedroom. She came forward, straightening out his lapels; he'd put on the jacket in a hurry and the right lapel had folded under. "Be safe, eh?"

Rorschach hesitated before placing his hands over her. "Always am."

Teri felt the urge to argue with him over that, imaging his shoulders slumping and saying something like; _"Don't start, Teri."_ So Teri bit her tongue. She guessed she could understand him wanting to go see his old buddy after so long, after he'd been considered dead. Truth be told, not only did she want to see Daniel and Laurie, but she also preferred not to let Walter out of her sight: She was still getting used to the fact that he wasn't just a ghost in the night.

* * *

"Laurie- Laurie. Jesus, did you hear that?" Daniel had been abruptly awakened and was trying to stir his wife, but her dreams had too tight of a hold over her. Daniel frowned, reluctantly pulling himself from their embrace before thrusting the covers off of him and stepping out of their bed.  
His bare feet protested when they touched the cold floor, but the sound that had roused him was much more of a incentive to get up than not. He tried to push back that impending doom feeling in his stomach as he groped for his glasses. "That's okay honey," Daniel clumsily spoke into the darkness, searching for a calming aspect to his fear. "You stay here, I'll go check it out." But Laurie merely garbled something in her sleep in reply. Daniel spared her no glance back, licking his lips as he slid his glasses over his nose and calmly, carefully rose to his feet.

When he heard the faint footsteps in the corridor outside his door, Daniel nearly jumped out of his skin. It was clear then: He had heard someone breaking in. Daniel pursed his lips angrily, pushing his glasses further up his nose before gathering his courage. He had thought that he was free of this shit after Rorschach died, but apparently some punk-ass kid had made the mistake of coming into _his _house at this hour. What an unfortunate kid. He made his way over to the bedroom door and eased it open.

Daniel was ready to pounce and pummel the shadowed figure that was lingering in the doorway down the hall from him, when the glint of a white mask caught his eye. His heart stopped, and out of instinct he reached forward and flipped the light switch beside him. " 'the hell?"

"Huh," Rorschach faced him in the now brightly lit, but narrow hallway, taking a scrutinizing glance down at Daniels stripped blue pajamas. "Figured you'd be in one of these doors." He joked harshly. Daniel hadn't changed much, perhaps gained a few pounds and perhaps gotten a bit balder, but overall, it was Daniel nonetheless.

"Rorschach?" There was no mistaking the voice. Anyone could have simulated the costume, but _no one_ could have faked Rorschach's raspy and hoarse voice. "Jesus…" He blinked, incredulously, trying to figure in the possibility that he was dreaming-No- scratch that, he _never _dreamed of Rorschach. "But-I-I saw you die…" He stammered, his hand still lingering on the smooth faceplate of the light switch.

Rorschach pocketed his hands. "Communist transported me." He answered hatefully, shifting his weight. "Was over on the west coast. Took a while to get back."

Daniel sucked in several deep breaths, placing a hand on his head as he tried to take in what Rorschach was saying.

"Not dreaming Daniel."

"I know," Dan answered. "I know," He flicked his eyes back to his ex-partner standing a few feet away. "But- jesus." No words could successfully flow out of his mouth- at least none that made much sense. Finally after a moment, Rorschach shifted and broke the silence.

"It _is _good to see you again." He prompted.

Daniel felt a pang of guilt, a jolt to his chest- of course, that was probably the first thing he should have said. "Yeah, yeah, its good to see you again too, Rorschach." He sighed, his hand going to rub the back of his neck. Daniel felt the fatigue from the early morning seep through him. "Look, uh, can I make you a cup of coffee?" He offered, awkwardly.

Rorschach shook his head.

Daniel cleared his throat, using his hand to gesture Rorschach back down the hall, towards the kitchen. "Just as well, I think I may need something a bit stronger." He replied seriously.

Rorschach shot him a curious look as he led the way. "Didn't know you drank, Daniel."

"I don't."

* * *

Daniel laid his head in his hands and wiped the warm sweat from his forehead. "Please tell me your joking."

"Never am, Daniel, you know that."

He breathed in the scent and steam from his coffee and crème de cacao beneath his nose before raising his head to stare at the figure that paced back and forth in the small kitchen, the inkblots on Rorschach's mask ever moving. Daniel knew, just _knew _that one day he wouldn't joke about Rorschach driving him to drink, he would just _do _it. "Have you gone mad?" He brushed aside the irony of his words. "Even if this did work, have you considered the repercussions of its outcome?"

Rorschach stopped pacing and faced Daniel, placing his gloved hands roughly on the edge of the table. "Are you in or not?" He growled, tired of Daniel's arguing, despite the fact that he heard his own voice asking such questions when Teri had suggested her plan. Rorschach admitted that he himself would have rejected it, had he come up with something better-something less dangerous-but he hadn't, and they were steadily running out of time.

Daniel sat back in his chair, settling his hands on either sides of his warm mug. It took him a long moment to answer, a long moment to consider. "What if I'm not?" He asked. "Jesus, Rorschach, you just recently come back from the dead, and you're already proposing revenge?" Daniel asked, exasperated. Never once did he think that he'd be in another position like this. Whatever happened to the thought of retiring? Weren't Laurie and him going to move somewhere warm and tropical to live out the rest of their days? He sighed, knowing that it was difficult to even think about leaving New York. There were just too many memories that he couldn't run from. So many _good _memories…

Daniel tore himself from his thoughts, and though he wanted to take a sip from his mug, he couldn't bring himself to. "Have you even visited Teri?" He whispered, his eyes not leaving the masked vigilante in his kitchen.

Rorschach took a deep breath. "How do you think I found you?" He answered. She was the one thing that he wished he could get out of his mind. This plan that she had devised- if only he could think of a way to leave her out of it. Intentionally, he failed to mention Teri's involvement to Dan.

Daniel licked his lips, an urge to wipe his glasses tugging at his hands, but he didn't move. He waited, waited to see if Rorschach would say anything about Teri and her baby. They hadn't stayed in complete contact, for it was Teri's wishes that Daniel not help her out with the child. He assumed that it was too painful for her to see Daniel and Laurie, but he had acquiesced to her wishes and let her be. Daniel was curious as to whether she actually kept the child, for Teri was badly off when he had last saw her; it didn't help his conscious when she refused to accept financial help from him.  
Daniel kept his silence on the matter with Rorschach, fearing the subject too sensitive.

Rorschach tightened his grip on the edge of the table before pushing off and continuing back to his pacing. "She sends her regards." He groaned out, taking little comfort in the constant clicking of his shoes against the worn linoleum.

A smile twitched at the edges of Daniels mouth and quaintly, he lifted an eyebrow. Rorschach had provided a slight change in subject, and perhaps it was just what they needed. "How is she?" Daniel asked, bringing his mug to his lips and sipping at the scorching liquid: It burned, only slightly, going down and whether it was from the alcohol or temperature of his drink, he could have seriously cared less.

"Good, good." Rorschach found what he was looking for. The plastic jar of sugar cubes; Daniel kept it on the counter beside the flour… Rorschach made a mental note of its location. The lid of the jar popped off easily under his gloved fingers. "Had a child." He whispered.

Daniel perked up slightly, barely catching the words that hesitantly crawled from his lips.

When he'd filled the palm of his hand with the wonderful green wrapped sweeteners, he turned around leaning against the edge of the counter, crossing his ankles as he stuffed the majority of the cubes into his pockets, keeping two within his fingers. He didn't look up as he unwrapped the first one. "My child." He muttered, distracted.

Daniel opened his mouth to speak, to make amends, to apologize for not telling him about knowing sooner-

"What the _fuck_?"

Daniel whipped around in his chair to stare at the flabbergasted Laurie standing in the doorway to the kitchen. "Laurie-"

"Good morning, Ms. Jupiter." Rorschach greeted calmly between crunches as he replaced his mask below his chin, coolly adjusting it to his comfort.

"It's Dreiberg now." She told him spitefully; Rorschach merely raised a shoulder in reply. Laurie had pulled her silk robe tighter around her bulged belly, staying in the doorway, a look of shock on her face as she kept as far away from Rorschach as she could, ignoring Daniels attempts to get her to sit down next to him. "I thought you _died_." She spat, self-consciously reaching up to smooth out her shoulder length, tussled hair. She didn't even know why she did it, considering that it was Rorschach, but it happened, regardless.

"Laurie." Daniel warned quietly-reaching out to her-urging her to take a seat.

"Hurm." Rorschach muttered, stuffing his hands in his pocket. "Harder to kill than you'd think." He couldn't help but stare at her large, protruding belly- she must have been near her due date. He wanted to give Daniel a look, perhaps a look of congratulatory status, or perhaps a look of disgust… he couldn't decide.

"Manhattan transported him." Daniel told Laurie. "Do you want a cup of coffee?"

"That'd be nice, thank you." Laurie answered tiredly as Dan stood up, as he walked passed her towards the coffee pot near Rorschach, he reached out with a loving hand and brushed Laurie's belly-unconsciously-like he'd been doing for the last few months in eager anticipation.

"What is he doing here, Dan?" She asked, disregarding Rorschach. It was clear that the two talking had woken her, but the only sign of her weariness were the faint circles beneath her eyes. Perhaps the pregnancy had not been kind to her.

Daniel shot her another soft warning glance as he halted beside his old friend to retrieve the coffee pot from against the wall.

Rorschach could have cared less about her snide comments. He never really liked her anyway. But he gazed sidelong at Daniel, pouring the steaming coffee into an off-white mug that he had snatched from one of the upper cabinets. He was half tempted to accept a cup from Daniel, for the aroma was overwhelmingly good. Rorschach settled for continuing to toy with the extra sugar cube between his fingers.

Daniel couldn't help but notice that Rorschach didn't smell like he always had, that faint rotting food and old garbage, but in fact that he bore the faded scent of something similar to Tide. It brought a smile to his face, despite the tense moment. "He, uh," The pot clicked as it was placed back on its perch and he turned around, starting back to the table, to Laurie.

"-Have plan to take down Veidt." Rorschach finished, feeling the urge to hurry things along.

"What?" Laurie asked angrily as Daniel was helping her down to a chair. "Jesus, are you still on that?"

Rorschach was about to retort when Dan, who had taken his seat beside her, interrupted.

"No, I think I have to agree with Rorschach on this one. Veidt got away with something that we all should have stopped." His hands wandered about the rim of his mug, remembering that day-the destruction, the lies… He hadn't wanted to agree to the silence, but Veidt was right about the nuclear warfare if the blame had not been laid upon Manhattan. But he couldn't stop the bitterness that wrenched through him when Veidt came to 'save the day', funding the reconstruction for the damage, like the great savior he was. Daniel nearly snorted at the mere thought.

"Have you _both _lost it?" Laurie asked, looking between the two before her. "Dan," she started, resting her gaze on him. "We're retired." She stated, as if that settled the argument.

"I know." Daniel answered, shyly. "But maybe you should listen to Rorschach for a bit, ya know?" He swallowed, his nerves coming back to him as the sheer thought of the plan scurried through his mind. "I don't necessarily like the idea, but maybe he has something- the right idea, I guess."

"Do you know what would happen to the world if they found out what he did though?" Laurie continued, one hand lingering on her stomach as the other gripped her coffee mug. "It would all just come tumbling down…" her voice trailed off, haunted. She may not have known what they were planning, but whatever it was, it couldn't have meant any good to the silence they had been keeping for the sake of humanity.

"I know." Dan replied, just as troubled.

* * *

When he came back that night, Teri had already long gone to sleep; she didn't even rouse as he came through the window, or when he crawled into bed beside her. It disappointed him that she wasn't more alert and it alluded him that she could sleep so deeply during all of this; It infuriated him.

She was sleeping on her side tonight, her hands up cradling her face against the pillow. Walter pressed himself against her, molding his body to hers. His hand found the gentle bump of her stomach, rising and falling to her calmed breathing underneath her thin shirt. He tried to imagine what it would have been like to have been there while she was pregnant, to be there for her morning sickness and for the birth of young Alice.

Walter nudged his face into the hollow of her neck, holding Teri's sleeping form tight against him. She would have been so beautiful with her large stomach, one hand on her back as she walked around the house-her bare feet a proverbial precursor to Alices' that would sooner patter around the apartment herself. He could only imagine. He could only wish that he'd have known.

Teri muttered in her sleep, shifting into Walter embrace, but her words were blissful and incomprehensible.

The trip to Daniels didn't make him more confident in the plan like he thought it would. Especially when Laurie walked in, pregnant as could be. That was a surefire sign that Daniel wouldn't be up for anything dangerous: not while he had a child on the line.  
Daniel was going to be careful, the kind of careful that Walter should have been so long ago.

* * *

"Did you two see this?" Ashley asked, tossing the newspaper down on the kitchen table before taking off her coat, it thunked dully on the wooden counter. She had just arrived to find the two parents plus one child in the kitchen eating breakfast.  
Her finger went down and tapped on an article in the lower left corner of the paper. "They're doing this series of articles based on this Rorschach guys' journals." Ashley shrugged, ignoring the looks that Teri and Walter passed each other. "I guess it's for some kind of a anniversary thing, but-" she paused, hanging her coat over the top of a free chair. "Have you two read them? They're _crazy_!" She laughed, sitting down before taking the jar of baby food from Walter, who was busy staring at the article.

"Apparently he thought the world was this pit of evil that kept spawning more and more every day. He even thought that Veidt was behind the November attack." She snorted, her eyes ever on the bouncing Alice that had immediately demanded Ashley's attention from the moment of her arrival.

"They published it?" Walter asked, his voice quiet as his eyes traced over the photocopy of his own words. Of all the things he hoped the New Frontiersman would do with his journal, he never once thought that they would publicly display it.

Teri chewed on the inside of her cheek, she knew that this would come up sooner or later. "Yeah." She had been dreading the touchy subject.

Walter's eyes shot to hers. "But Veidt-"

Ashley shook her head before Teri could answer, obviously not knowing the seriousness of the subject, for her voice only sounded jokingly as she easily fed Alice. "That conspiracy theory?" She chuckled. "I think his stocks went down a few points, but seriously-" she stole a glance at Walter, "Who would believe that?" She scoffed, "Its hard to imagine Mr. Veidt committing such a crime and then blaming it on Dr. Manhattan. Only _Rorschach _could have come up with such an idea."

Walter was floored by the girls opinion, and was about to give her a piece of his mind when Teri caught his gaze and shook her head, giving him a look that clearly said: _"Not here, Walter."_ He was forced to bite his tongue, and to block out the anger that boiled inside of him, he pulled the newspaper closer to him, letting out a pent up, "Hurumph." The last thing they needed was for the girl to go crying to Veidt about his existence and whereabouts, or nearly worse yet, for Teri to lose her babysitter.

It was so frustrating to know that his journal had gotten into the hands of the newspapers, and having it treated as only memorabilia to a presumed dead mask. His hands constricted into fists, crinkling the inked paper under his grasp. How dare they misuse his journal like that. It was meant to be taken seriously, not to be bought and sold and distributed like some old photograph.

"I think," Ashley continued to comment, brushing a stray hair from her face before tapping Alice's nose-ensuing from a loud chortle from the babe. "People are really more interested in who this woman was that Rorschach constantly mentioned in his entries."

Walter looked up suddenly. His abruptness startled Teri, even catching her attention. His insides twisted, his mind reeled with a newfound possibility. A terrible, new kind of horror struck him. Standing, the newspaper in one hand, he quickly shuffled around the kitchen table, taking Teri by the arm and hauling her to her feet. "Need to talk." He growled eyeing the babysitter, once more this morning hindered by her presence.

"Walter-" Teri protested, giving Ashley a reassuring glance before being pulled into the adjacent room.

When Walter was sure that the girl couldn't hear them, he lessened his grip on Teri's arm, of which she wrenched away from him.

"Fuck, Walter, what the hell?" She didn't like being growled at, let alone dragged off without explanation like some rag doll. Teri rubbed at her arm where his fingers had dug in, trying to work out the soreness that was already starting to set. Sometimes she found herself questioning her sanity around him-this was one of those moments.

Walter didn't know where to begin. They had discussed this morning that he didn't think that Daniel would be up for the plan because of Laurie, but that was a roadblock he'd prepared for. _This _was not. "Teri, your journal, said you didn't have it."

Teri's eyebrows came together and she crossed her arms. "No. It was destroyed in the blast." She told him, unsure of his itinerary.

"Where was it?" Walter asked, his brows furrowed, his upper lip twitching in slight agitation.

Teri didn't like the look on his face. "Walter, what are you getting-"

"Where was it?" He growled, his hands unconsciously balling into fists.

"In the freezer!" Teri cried, startled by his outburst. "Under the bloody peas." She finished a bit quieter, fearful that Ashley had heard her outburst. "Why?"

Walter gazed off to the side. "Freezer lined with iron and lead." His eyes darted around the room, calculating, angry that he hadn't thought of this before. "Known to survive bomb tests done in the desert."

Teri rolled her eyes. "Are you kidding me? My fridge could not have survived that blast, let alone the _journal_." The infliction in her voice went up several pitches, her agitation at the subject apparent.

"You _sure_?" Walter asked, bringing his gaze back to hers. "Did you go back? Did you check to make sure?"

"No." Of course not, why would she have? Teri pursed her lips. "I'm not really sure where you are going with this."

"Veidt." Walter said finally, as if the answer was obvious. "What if Veidt has your journal?"

Teri shook her head, unbelievably. "He does not have my journal."

"What makes you so sure?"

"Do you honestly think that he would've hired me?" Teri asked, trying to keep her voice down. "Jesus, Walter I murdered nearly thirty people, Adrian's not _stupid_." She whispered, slightly weary of prying, unwelcome ears.

Walter jolted, pointing at her. "No, see," He tilted his head slightly. "First name basis with him." He shook his head. "This is why that plan wont work." He whispered harshly. "You're sloppy."

Teri gasped, insulted.

"First, lose sight of only thing that connects you to murders, then you went and got close to him." Walter accused. "Just gonna get yourself killed."

"I wont!" Teri protested. "I've worked too hard for-"

"Forgot about your journal!" Walter interrupted, thrusting the paper in her direction, as if proving his point.

Teri threw up her arms. "Alright," She whispered, ever looking back to see if Ashley was within hearing range of them. "Alright," she gestured with her hands, palms down. "Lets say, hypothetically speaking, that my journal happened to survive the blast. What are the chances that it got picked up by some bystander?" She asked, "Then factor in the chances of this hypothetical bystander taking the journal to Veidt, with the chances of him actually knowing that it was me that wrote that thing." Teri calmly reasoned. "I never actually wrote my name in that book."

"But-" Walter put in, "How many are there with the last name of Kovacs?" He asked, "Veidt knew my name after I was incarcerated." _Wrote her name in our journal…._ Rorschach mentioned. _First and last… _

Teri shook her head. "Now your being ridiculous," She told him, brushing aside the irony in her words. "He had no idea I was with you."

Walter sighed, running his free hand through his hair. "Don't _know _him like I do." He pushed aside the butterflies in his stomach when he thought about just how smart Adrian really was. He had fooled every single Watchmen a year ago. It would be all too easy for him to stray Teri down a fake path. "All Veidt has to do is match up our journals." He told her, "Would make it effortless to pin point us both."

Teri saw the worry flash through his face: She saw the hesitation. "What are the chances of _that_?" She came forward, taking the paper from his hand and tossing it to the side, it landed dully on the faded carpet. "You tend to over think things, Walter."

_And you tend to be naïve._ Rorschach uttered.

Teri hesitantly took his hand in hers, stepping closer, lifting her free hand to turn his gaze to hers, her fingers gently resting along his jaw line. "I know this will work." She told him confidently, her eyes bearing into his. "Can't you just trust me?"

Walter's fists tightened, his jaw clinching. He didn't want to trust her, not when it came to something this important… But what choice did he have?


	7. Mistake Number 1

**A.N: Hey guys. sorry it's bloody taken me so long. College life pretty much doesn't allow me much of a social life (Is that sad that I include this in my social life, or what? lmao). Anyway, many uber thanks to my beta-reader, Rednymph, and thanks to all those who review! Much love from my side of the continent. ^.^ enjoy, and if not, do say so. **

**(Updated 2/3/11)  
**

Chapter 7: Mistake Number 1

"Nothing ever ends Adrian." Those were my last words to Adrian that day. He had no idea what I meant, but that is irrelevant; he will understand one day. The fact of the matter is that human behavior is utterly unpredictable. Though I may not seem it, I am still human-deep inside there still lies a human core. I was created like any other being, micro-organisms fusing together to create intellectual walking bags of animal protein.

But how godly I have become. Janey once said I was like god. I had protested; If there is a god, I am nothing like him-I once told her.

However, here on my newfound home, I have evolved. I have made things evolve. I have watched them-encouraged them. I have created intelligent life. Is that not what a god does? Is that not what I have been doing all along? Is that not how Earth was created? I am skeptical. No god would not let happen what carried on there. I will not let this world suffer the same fate.  
It is no longer dark here. Not like it once was. But I still am lonely.

December 3rd, 1986. I am no longer standing on my preferred Martian soil, but upon the soil of which I was born. I am back in New York, the very place where the destruction took place in my name. I am watching. I feel no anger towards the man before me- the very man that initiated my ostracism. As he smirks at me, I turn my head. I see another, and know him as Walter J. Kovacs. I saved his life- it appears as if it was only seconds before, but I know better.

It is November 2nd, 1985. I raised my hand, I know what is to come. I know his part in my future. Everything changes with one simple complication, I know both paths well, but still I raise my hand.  
So much blood. Innocent and unknowing beings had been sacrificed for a great cause. I had been here and back many times over. I have relived it for too long. I made a decision.

It is once again December 3rd, 1986. I see that decision take its final steps. I see the product of that decision. There is a woman: Insignificant in my plans. She stands beside him, tears stain her pale face. I am confused, and yet I know everything. Another life had been taken at my expense. No more, I decide. No more lives to be spent. No more lives to be wasted for the good or bad of mankind. This is why I have come back. I know this and as I perform an act only a god should have carried out, I cannot help but ponder what I have become.

I am standing once again on the planet of which I have left unnamed, for one cannot name something they have known so little. I am watching the life I created evolve, watching as it takes shape and learns its boundaries… I did not create life to be cruel.

I know the repercussions of my actions. I knew not the fate of the world of which I was born. But I know the fate of it should I choose not to go. It feels nice to finally be able to choose.

* * *

_Brrrrrinngggg…. Brrrinnnnnnggggg…_

Teri frowned as she fumbled with the back of her earring. "You got that?" She called from the bathroom, her eyes flicking anxiously between her reflection in the mirror to the phone in the bedroom.

No one answered her as the obnoxious ringing continued.

Cursing under her breath, Teri shuffled into the adjacent room. As she finished fussing with her earring, she snatched the phone up from the receiver. Teri glanced at her watch as she cradled the plastic apparatus between her shoulder and chin; her chauffeur would be waiting downstairs for her about now. "Hello?" She asked breathlessly, smoothing out her pencil skirt with her hands.

"Teri?"

She blinked once. Twice. "Yes?"

"It's Daniel."

Her breath caught in her throat. "Hey…" Teri looked up, transferring the phone to her hand as she straightened.

An awkward silence passed between the two, and it took Daniel a long moment to regain himself.

"Ror- Walter came to see us the other night…"

Teri nodded, swallowing. She half expected Walter to come through the open bedroom door and interrupt, but he didn't: He was probably still with Alice. "So I heard." She answered, uncomfortably. It had been such a long time since they'd talked, and she'd barely known the man-It was like trying to strike up a conversation with a distant relative.  
Teri licked her lips. "He said that he didn't think you two would be up for it." Teri paused a second. "Its okay." She whispered. "I understand." Her plan had its risks, and she fully identified with the worry that they must have been feeling towards it.

Daniel groaned on the other end, and when he spoke, his voice was hushed. "Look, it's not like I don't want to help out with this-"

"-You have a baby on the way." Teri interrupted; the excuse in itself was enough to justify his withdraw. Teri knew of her own anxiety towards Alice in context to the plan, and she could only imagine what it would be like for Laurie and Dan, being so close to her due date that is.

"Well, er… Ror-er, Walter told you, huh?" He asked slowly. Something quietly squeaked on the other end, like he was wiping something.

Teri didn't answer him. She didn't want to rush him off the phone, but truly she was going to be late.

"Laurie may not approve." Daniel said after a moment, pulling Teri from her thoughts. "And I plan to leave her out of it, but…" He sighed. "I want to help."

It brought a smile to Teri's face; she wasn't going to lie, his help would make a big difference. "Thank you Daniel."

* * *

Walter pursed his lips. "Sure you can't call in sick again?"

Teri rolled her eyes. "Jesus, Walt, I have bills to pay."

_ May not if she screws up._ Walter watched Teri's smooth hands fumble with a stack of ink-ridden work papers. "If Veidt suspects something, would be perfect time for him to pounce."

Teri scoffed at that, "Adrian wouldn't kill me with other people around as witness." She sniffled, running a hand through her hair-disheveling it-before picking up the very files she'd been fussing with since she'd gotten off the phone with Daniel. "It's not his style."

_She's right. Veidt would send someone else to do his dirty work._ Rorschach commented. Walter's head tilted slightly to the side as his body rested against the kitchen counter. "Don't go anywhere alone." He warned, flicking his eyes to his daughter in the highchair at the table, bouncing and giggling as her mother rushed about gathering last minute things for work. He pursed his lips; he didn't know what he would do if she went and got herself killed-

Teri shot him a glance. "Stop worrying." She told him, confidently. "I can very well take care of myself."

He wanted to scoff at that statement. "Have a weapon?"

"What?" Teri asked, her eyebrows furrowing. The papers she had in her hand rustled softly as she shoved them into a pile.

"Feel better if you took one." Walter replied, looking her up and down. Teri looked so artificial in her black pencil skirt, blouse and coat. It… just wasn't her. _Liked the newsvendor Teri better than corporate-whore Teri._ Rorschach remarked with a sneer; Walter brushed it off, but didn't disagree.

"Leave it be, Walter." Her eyes caught the clock above Walter's head; Teri jumped. "_Oh god_, I'm late!" She shoved the rest of the papers that were scattered on the kitchen table into a large manila envelope. Teri then maneuvered around the table and pressed her lips to Alice's head. "Love ya, sweetheart."

Walter glanced around the kitchen for something sharp she could take with her. If he'd thought about this earlier, he could have found her a proper weapon to take with-He made a mental note to start planning for things like this. Walter's mouth twitched as he found what he was looking for; a steak knife. It wasn't much, definitely not first choice, but it was better than nothing.

As Teri came to kiss him, Walter thrust the blade-hilt first-in her direction. She frowned, looking down at the stainless steel knife and then back up to glare at him. "No." She knew better than to take a knife to work.

Walter grabbed her hand and placed the wooden hilt in her palm. "Take it." He demanded.

After a second of exchanging glowers, Teri sighed heavily and accepted it. "Where am I gonna put it?" She asked him, placing a hand on her hip, skeptically.

"Be creative."

* * *

"Sorry it took me so long." Teri breathed out as she slid into the back of the sleek black Toyota, slipping her hands under her skirt to keep it from riding up as she settled into the seat.

"Not a problem, Ms. Kovacs." Her chauffer replied sweetly; he had been resting against the outside of the car, chewing on a toothpick. He waited until she was well inside before closing her door for her. He then walked briskly to the driver's side and slipped in. "The name's Charlie by the way, miss."

Teri caught his eyes through the rear-view mirror: They were polite, brown eyes. "Nice to meet you Charlie and please, Teri's just fine." She told him with a smile.

Charlie considered this. "I'll keep that in mind." He replied with a smirk as he pulled out of the parking spot and into the busy, morning traffic.

* * *

Walter watched from the doorframe of the apartment building as Teri got into the company car that Veidt had sent. He crossed his arms, ignoring the many people that hurried along the street in front of him, but it was his eyes that were locked only on that car-the distinctive sound of the door slamming, locking Teri into the backseat of a cage.

Rorschach started. _Veidt would send someone else to do his dirty work_. He repeated, his shoulder coming off of the frame-his body tensing-straightening.

Walter's eyes caught the sickly grin of the man who dropped into the drivers seat of the car and started the ignition. He had no time to react as the car pulled out from the curb. Walter jerked forward, his hands reaching for the one thing that was already out of grasp.

Rorschach crashed into a stranger as he stumbled out to the side of the street, chasing the car. The stranger cursed and gave him the bird before continuing on his way, but Walter paid him no heed. "No!" He cried out, the company car now halfway down the block.

Cursing under his breath, he cried out again as Teri turned in the back seat to look at him: She smiled and raised her hand in a wave. She had no idea.

Walter's stomach dropped; he had just sent Teri to her death.

* * *

"Long morning, huh?" He asked, flicking his eyes to look in the mirror at the woman behind him; he reached up with a free hand and gave it a slight adjustment.

Teri nodded, turning back into her seat and resting against the gray interior. "You have no idea." She sighed, it was nice that Walter had walked her out: she could get used to that. Teri let her gaze wander out the window to the passing streets and pedestrians; despite the sunny weather, most of the New York's citizens were dressed in long coats, hats and warm gloves. Teri hated how the sun was so deceiving here-it could be the brightest day out and still be ten degrees.

"Hope everything's alright, though." Charlie commented. He spoke with very Boston accent, but that wasn't abnormal for NY, just intriguing. Teri always had a knack for telling accents.

Teri merely nodded. "Oh yeah." She reached for the seatbelt.

Charlie continued to look at her, pretending that he never saw the short ginger male try and rush the car. He would have to mention that to Adrian; they were under the impression that she was a single mother with no romantic interests-perhaps they were wrong. "Mr. Veidt said that this will be a regular thing- you and me."

The metal buckle clicked as it locked in place. Teri shifted in the back seat, getting comfortable before she placed her folders on the seat beside her and pulled her blazer tighter around her body. It was a bit chilly inside the car, but she knew it would warm quickly.

Teri really didn't know what to say to that. She wouldn't deny that she was secretly pleased at having a chauffeur; it made her feel important.

"Yeah." Teri replied needlessly before closing her eyes and letting her head rest again the back of her seat. It had been a long morning so far, and besides, it was just too damn early to stare out the window at the passing city that she had come to know all too well.

* * *

Walter ran back up to the apartment, taking the steps two at a time. He hurtled through Teri's front door and nearly ran over Ashley on his way to the phone.

"Whoah! Slow down!" Ashley called.

The phone was nearly knocked off the nightstand as he jerked the receiver from its perch. He then growled at the operator to patch him into Pyramid enterprises: she put him on hold.

Letting out a puff of air he plopped on the bed-the mattress groaning under his sudden weight-as he waited impatiently for the call to be put through. Walter worked it out in his head what would be said: He would confront Veidt, threaten him to release Teri, perhaps even offer an exchange. _No_, Rorschach interjected, _Teri's plan. Can't blow cover._ Walter's eyes narrowed as Ashley's silhouette appeared in the doorway. _Perhaps we're blowing this out of proportion._ Rorschach calmed. _Letting emotions get in way of revenge. Not bright._ His jaw tightened; "But Teri." he growled. "Could be in danger."

"Walter?" Ashley whispered from the doorway, one hand lingering on her chest, warily. "You okay?"

He was just about to retort with something rude when the dispatch for Pyramid enterprises picked up. "Hello, how may I help you?"

Walter faltered: He didn't know what he was going to say. Should he talked to Veidt? Would Veidt believe it was truly him? Or did Veidt already know, and perhaps expected a call from him? Walter made a quick decision. "Er… need to speak with Ms. Kovacs from advertising." _Can leave Teri a message, should we be overreacting, she'll call back…_ Rorschach calmed. _If not… well…we'll deal with that when it comes. _

"I'll patch you through."

"Hurm." Walter muttered, reaching up with a free hand and wiping at his runny nose. He shifted uncomfortably on the bed.

"Walter?"

His eyes flicked to the young girl in the door way and blinked; Ashley wore a very worried look on her face, her fingers uneasily touched the doorframe beside her. Walter nodded. "I'm fine." He lied, quietly.

The phone started ringing on the other end and even though he knew that Teri wasn't going to be there, Walter held his breath.

* * *

It was several minutes before Teri opened her eyes again and when she did, she started. "Where are we going?"

Charlie looked back at her in the rear-view mirror. "Just taking the scenic route, miss. A lot less traffic 'round _here_." He announced a little too cheerfully.

Teri blinked a few times._ Did I fall asleep?_ She pushed back the sleeve of her jacket to peek at her watch: She was twenty minutes late.  
Teri anxiously bit her lip. "I was supposed to be there at six." She told him, leaning forward and resting her elbow on the side of the passenger seat, allowing her an easier look at where they were going. She recognized the area, but it was a long ways off from work.

"Six?" Charlie exclaimed, his eyebrows shooting up. "I was told seven." There was a teasing tone weaved into his voice.

Her face scrunched in confusion. "No. No, I'm always there at six." Teri could have sworn that they were going the exact opposite direction from where she was supposed to be.

The car made a sudden turn down a road that led to the train-yard, or at least what had remained of it: Veidt had decided not to rebuild this part of town, for steam trains were outdated-mono-rails were more modern. Teri's stomach dropped as the station came into view; the very train station that she'd arrived at almost two years ago. She'd taken her first steps in New York to start a new life, here.

The sight brought memories to the surface that she would rather not have and though she tried shoving them back down, the image outside her window jerked them up through her throat.

Abandoned, the station was in shambles, half collapsed, half charred from an apparent fire that must have happened after the blast. It was covered in graffiti, and glass still littered the street and sidewalk.  
Behind a large slab of concrete- the platform-a train lay, its belly exposed like a dead beetle, rusted and deteriorated from the weather.

Teri shuttered, taking in a breath that she discovered she'd been holding. "I think you should turn around." She commented nervously, sitting back in her seat.

"I like it back here." Charlie replied, pulling the car to a stop. "It's quiet, and no one comes around anymore." He shrugged, peering calmly out his window. "At least not like they used to, anyway."

She didn't like the way he said that last line. _Don't go anywhere alone…_ Walter voice rang through her mind over and over again. Teri swiftly turned her head this way and that, searching for someone- anyone, but Charlie was right; there was no one around. Why would there be? It was six-twenty in the morning, at an abandoned train-station….

"You know," Charlie started, cutting all thoughts off. "You've been a _very _naughty girl, miss Kovacs." He eyed her through the mirror.

Teri froze. A shiver ran down the length of her spine. She knew then that she had gotten herself into something-something bad. Teri reached for the door handle and was surprised when she found that it was actually unlocked; Teri shoved the door opened and swiftly exited. _Just run, fast._ Teri told herself, getting as much space between her and the driver as she could.

Charlie slowly opened his own door, watching as Teri started away. He stretched and for the first time exposed the gun that was strapped to his waist.  
"Hey, where ya goin'?" He playfully called after Teri. She didn't turn around, but he could tell she was having a hard time getting anywhere fast; her skirt posed a serious obstacle.

Charlie reached up, scratching the back of his ear before bringing the .45 from its holster. He cocked it. "It's the beginning of such a beautiful day!" He barked at her as he jerked towards her, taking long, open strides.

The sunrise had already started, but the sky was still wrought with pinks, oranges, yellows and blues, the clouds moving slowly away from the rising horizon. Personally, he thought it was too early to do a killing, but if it had to be done, it had to be done: Especially since Veidt paid extra for her.

Charlie raised the gun, aimed, and squeezed the trigger.


	8. Alleged Confirmation

**A.N: Alrighty dearies, this be the case. In lieu of helpful reviews and PM's, I have learned that I've delved off the cliff of OOCness with not just Teri, but Walter as well. Thus began my LONG journey to walk-backwards and try to fix my shortcomings. As of today (2/3/11) I have officially revamped the entire story up to this date. I have not changed the plot, cliff-hangers, or allusions, though, so you don't have to start at the beginning, but it'd be nice to know if you think the changes helped… Hopefully I can gain back the readers I have thus lost in the rush to finish AND to re-instill your confidence in me as a writer again. **  
**Sorry for the long note, but it was dearly needed. Here be the next installment, as I found it unfair to revamp the story without adding something new. : ) enjoy and again, sorry it's take me so long. **

**Disclaimer; obviously I own nothing Watchmen related. **

**Chapter 8: Alleged Confirmation**

*_Click_*  
"Bang." Charlie imitated with one eye closed. Teri was within his sights, and he watched as she ducked inside the station. It created a familiar thrill within him. He couldn't stand the simple cut and dry killings: they were _terribly _boring.  
Charlie sighed, letting the gun fall with his arm to his side, his free hand reaching in his jacket pocket for the .45's clip. "They always run." He murmured to himself, slapping the clip up into the gun. He savored the sound; it was the sound of death. If he'd had his way, he could have spent all day sliding the magazine in and out of the gun-he was like a child with his candy, savoring every moment.

The gravel and broken glass crunched loudly under his booted feet as he confidently strode towards the corner where Teri had disappeared. "You must have done something _real _bad to piss off Adrian Veidt." He called, stepping up onto the platform. "Did you fuck him and never call?" He laughed, pausing as he noticed that Teri's shoe had been discarded, but whether it was intentional or accidental, he could have cared less. Charlie stared down at it before nudging it with his foot.  
"Always thought the man was one of those queers'," He shrugged, his gun still tight in his hand, his eyes flicking back up to where Teri had been last, before continuing on his conquest. "But its hard to tell with people in powerful positions like him…" He trailed off, approaching the door that had long fallen off its hinges, now creating a gapping hole that had once served as the building's main entrance.

* * *

Teri pressed herself against the wall next to the doorframe, urgently trying to calm her breathing. Her palms found the peeling paint of the wall, her fingers scratching into drywall; it crumbled beneath her nails. _What the hell? Why is this always happening to me?_ She knew the answer-she knew it well-but it didn't stop the rushing of her heart, it didn't stop it from nearly beating out of her chest.  
Her gaze skittered around the ruined building surrounding her, eagerly searching for a place to run- to escape-but her feet stuck to the ground, her fear preventing movement.

Once it was decided that fleeing was not an option, Teri slowly turned her head towards the chipped frame beside her. Her pursuers footsteps were loud, the broken glass scraping on the ground, under his feet. She heard the distinct slide of the gun as it loaded a bullet into a chamber. Teri closed her eyes; she was no match for a gun. _Cool it, Teri._ That sometimes helpful little voice whispered. _There are ways this can be handled._ Her right hand found itself on the inside of her jacket pocket, her fingers brushing the handle of the steak knife.

Teri squeezed her eyes shut as that little voice laughed; You don't have much of a choice. Fight or die, baby. She licked her lips, painfully waiting for the moment when Charlie would rush through the gaping hole next to her. Vaguely remembering a similar situation, Teri allowed her jaw to clinch and her body to tense-readying for her strike. She was not going to die-not without a struggle.

"It's no use running, sweetheart." She heard Charlie coo. "Once a hit goes out, the stakes only get higher with each passing day."

He was near; she could feel it. Teri's one bare foot slipped on something, and she flinched as she tried to regain her footing: It did caused her to break her concentration and glance down, though. There was a small pool of blood underneath her pale toes. She must of gotten a spare piece of glass stuck in her foot; because now that she was thinking about it, the ball of her foot itched something terrible. Leaning back on her heel, she discarded her remaining shoe; as it was throwing off her balance. She tried to do it quietly, but it scraped against the dusty floor as she brushed it aside.

The tip of the gun startled her as it slowly made it's appearance through the door. Charlie's hands placidly gripping the hilt came next, followed by a foot.

With a cry, Teri ripped the knife from her jacket and brought it down on his arm. The gun fired into the ground, a plume of dust rising from the disturbed silence. Charlie yelped, letting the gun slip from his grasp as he instinctively tried to pull his injured arm towards his body.  
Teri, her hold on the knife still strong, tore it from the new wound in Charlie's forearm, only to thrust it sideways into the surprised mans' chest. Charlie gasped, taking a moment to stare down at the hilt, buried to its base, below his right collarbone. Teri whipped back, taking several steps receding, her calloused feet dragging on the dusty floor.

Charlie sucked in a number of short, wheezing, wet breaths of air. His knees went wobbly, and he fell to the floor, the boards beneath creaking and groaning.

Chest heaving, Teri rushed forward, kicking the gun from his reach to the far wall. But Charlie didn't lunge for her, or the gun. He followed her with his eyes, before staring down at the object lodged in his chest; his shaky hands hovered over the knife.

Teri backed herself up once more to judge the situation and to collect her own ragged breaths. The palm of her trembling hand rubbed across her face, wiping away the sweat and tension. She stumbled over a bit of rubble but didn't-couldn't-take her eyes off of the man before her. It had been so easy…

The sun rose over the morning haze outside, the orange rays illuminating Charlie's silhouette as the waves of color darted in through the doorway. The alarmed expression on his face was one of a man who had clearly not anticipated being over-powered or fought against.

Charlie suddenly pulled the knife from his chest, wetly coughing as the bloody, metallic weapon was tossed aside, clattering as it rolled across the rotted ground.

A few stray tears escaped Teri's glazed eyes, her stomach knotting as the realization hit her. "What have I done?"

* * *

_She busted down the door with a couple of strong kicks, before staggering inside the backroom of the stage. Her heart beat loudly in her throat, the anticipation of finally rescuing her sister-like she had in her dreams all these nights-overcoming her. But when she regained her footing-her eyes refocusing from the excitement-she caught sight of the dead bodies that were haphazardly laying on the floors, across the couches, slumped in chairs…. But they weren't just any bodies. They were the slave-trade girls; dressed scantily in outfits that showed their 'best assets'. The room smelled of piss and defecation. _  
_ Teri doubled over, her hands supporting herself on her knees as she hurled, gagging on her own vomit and disgus_t.

_ When she had finished, she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, sucking in deep breaths, the sour bile in her mouth dizzying her. Teri made herself stand-made herself look for the one person that mattered more to her than anything else in this world. _  
_Sam was in a corner, drooped in a large armchair, her eyes staring open at the ceiling; lifeless. _  
_ Teri cried out, rushing to her and wrapping her arms around her sisters waist. Teri pulled her to the flat carpet as she called out Sam's name-lightly smacking her cheeks-but nothing came from her beloved sister. _

_Teri, turning away from her sister, dry heaved. It was then that she spotted the wine bottles that she had so carefully poisoned-the comprehension of what happened hit her like bricks to the back of the head. How could this have happened? How could all of this death come from her? Teri had planned things so precisely-so strategically. _

_ Sam's body had started to cool when Teri embraced her again, crying out to anyone listening; crying out for mercy. "Please, don't leave me like this!" They had been through everything together, even relied on each other when times were rough…It was Teri's job to rescue Sam; she had promised Sam that she would. _  
_Teri hugged Sam's body close and swore from that moment on that she would never take another human life again. For it seemed that everything she touched had ramifications… ramifications that took themselves out on her loved ones.

* * *

_

Charlie fell dully to the floor.

"You don't tell someone your going to kill them…" Teri cried out, finding herself against the far wall. "Just _fucking _kill them." She lowered herself to the ground, using the wall as leverage. Long after Charlie took his last breath, she sat there, her arms holding her legs to herself. Tears rolled in streams down her cheeks, and each thought she had trailed back to her sister and the journey to New York. She rested her head heavily onto her knees and sobbed. Teri had not only broke the promise that she'd given on her sisters deathbed, but she'd also nearly lost everything she'd worked so hard for over the last couple of years: all over a simple oversight.  
It struck home about how reckless she was, even though that she had stared death in the face so many times; it wasn't just about _her _life anymore. It was about her daughters' and Walters'. Teri couldn't stand the thought of leaving her child motherless, nor once again losing the man that had pieced her back together again.

Teri's arms cradled her head as she wept.

* * *

Teri frowned as she went to pick up the knife and the gun; she would throw them in the nearest garbage can on her way out or perhaps even in the drainage pipe: She couldn't risk another fleeting conviction.  
Charlie's body lay face down, his eyes openly staring into space, his mouth only slightly agape, his cheek squished against the floor. Blood glistening off of his lips; he looked as if he had tried to say something with his last breath. Teri never would have heard.

Teri sniffled, wiping her nose with the back of her shaking hand. She didn't feel any lingering sorrow for what she had done, but coming down from the shock of it was a bitch. Teri stared down at him for a long time, discerning her next move.  
She would leave his body, Teri decided, limping to retrieve her shoes. Then, Teri thought to herself, she would go to work. She was already two hours late.

* * *

"Teri?" Beverly stood up when the familiar face went past the door to her cubicle. She didn't hesitate, snatching up a couple red-vines from the stash on her desk before hopping out of the cubical after Teri. Her eccentric red heels made no noise on the purple carpet. "You're late, ya know." She lightly scolded, taking a bite of one licorice, while stuffing the rest in her bright blue blazer pocket.

"I know," Teri answered calmly as she turned, limping, into her own cubicle.

Beverly paused outside of the door, resting her elbow on the top of the grey wall, her red-vine waving in her hand. She looked Teri up and down. "Jesus, what happened?"

"I had to walk." Teri replied coldly, avoiding her friends' gaze. She knew that she must have looked dusty, misshapen, and unkempt: something that Beverly would just naturally have a fit over.

"I thought you had a driver." Beverly asked, taking a slow chew on her licorice, quickly mulling over in her head what could be done about Teri's mess of clothing.

Teri flicked her eyes to Beverly before removing her jacket and draping it over her roller chair. "He tried to kill me." Teri announced, seriously.

Beverly rolled her eyes. "_Sure_." She answered, incredulously. "Let me guess, he drove you to the train tracks and tied you to 'em." She drew a new red-vine out of her pocket and chewed contently on it's end.

She had many street blocks to assemble her nerves-and to reform her plan-allowing herself to walk into the Veidt enterprises building composed and confident. Despite what had been carried out today, Teri was ready to move on with life. "He even laughed manically and twisted his mustache." She joked, easily. It wasn't necessarily that she wanted Beverly to know what happened, but rather that joking about the situation was helping to ease any lingering tension. Teri tossed her friend a smile.

Beverly scoffed and placed a hand on her leopard printed, spandex hip. "Whatever," She stated, brushing off Teri and her teasing ways. "Oh!" Beverly remembered, taking a bite of her candy. "By the way, your boy-toy called." She winked.

Teri plopped down in her chair and leaned over to check the phone on her desk for a blinking light that would indicate that she had a message: There wasn't one.

"Walter is a sexy name." Beverly nearly laughed when Teri shot her a death glare.

"Did you speak with him?" Teri gasped, glaring at her friend before bringing her wounded foot up on her knee. Beverly merely shrugged, a silly grin on her face. Teri rolled her eyes. "Since when did _you _start answering _my _phone?" She asked, slipping off her shoe and examining her toe.

Beverly paid no heed to what Teri was doing with her foot. "Since you decided to bum out on your driver and take your sweet time getting to work," Beverly retorted, shaking her half-eaten licorice at Teri. "He wants you to give him a call, by-the-way."

Teri nodded, fingering the wound on the ball of her foot, mentally promising to give him a call after she fixed her injury.

Beverly was distracted for a moment, staring off down the full row of cubicles. "There was something else I was gonna tell ya-Oh!" Beverly started, "Look," her voice quieted. "I suggest you get into Veidts office, pronto."

Teri frowned, flexing her toes. "Why?" She'd taken out the glass, but her foot was still killing her.

Looking around to make sure no one was listening, Beverly leaned forward, waiting until Teri glanced up at her. "He gave Nueberg new specifications for the Enigma line. She's showing it to him, now."

* * *

"You can't go in there," Veidt's secretary-Jessica-reminded Teri, standing up from behind her desk. Teri had ignored confirming an appointment with her, and instead walked straight up to Veidt's office door.

Teri merely faked a sweet smile at the young woman with the long black hair. "Watch me." Her hand already on the sleek golden handle, she pushed open the door and strode in like she belonged there. Her injured foot was throbbing and bleeding through the band-aid she'd patched it with, but Teri's determination and irritation fueled her step.

Jessica swung around the desk and hurried after Teri. "Hey!" she called, "Hey, he's in meeting!"

In fact, Veidt _was _in a meeting-per say. He had been sitting on his desk, hands casually gripping it on either side of him, while Teri's boss stood to the side, showing off a newly printed poster on a metal easel.  
They both looked up as Teri barged in.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Veidt," Jessica apologized, several steps behind Teri. "She just rushed in."

With a momentary hint of surprise, Adrian smiled, his hands immediately going to the tops of his thighs. "It's quite alright, Jess." He told her, waving her off before adjusting the sleeves of his dark purple suit. "That'll be all."

"Ms. Kovacs." Adrian greeted, his head tilting slightly before gesturing to Miss Nueberg. "Emily was just showing me more samples for the new line." He explained, kindly. "How nice of you to join us."

Teri glanced between her two bosses. The way that Adrian was so posh towards everyone was sickening-if only they knew what he was truly capable of. If they only knew that he felt no remorse about setting a 'hit' on a single mother.  
She tried to hide her hatred for him. "Do forgive me for my lateness." She played his little game, "My chauffer took several wrong turns on the way over."

"Charlie?" Emily commented, turning from her position to better look at the two others in the room, "How odd, he usually is very good with-"

"Emily," Veidt interrupted, "Do you think you could excuse Teri and I?"

Teri processed what she'd heard-Charlie was actually working for the company, he wasn't just a spoof? He'd actually driven other people about? The idea made Teri's stomach churn-fingers would immediately point to Teri when they found his body.

Emily nodded, not thinking twice about Veidt's comment. "Of course." She let herself out, but not before locking eyes with Teri; you fucked up.

Adjusting herself, Teri waited until the door clicked shut before speaking. "I thought you liked my idea."

Adrian took in a deep breath. "You missed the photo-shoot yesterday." He replied, as if that explained everything.

Her brows furrowed. "Alice was sick."

Shrugging, he crossed his arms, "Well, Emily was forced to take over, and in the course of shooting your prints, she came up with a few more ideas." Adrian considered this, like he'd just heard it himself. "It was only natural. And a brilliant executive decision, if you ask me." Veidt told her, smugly. He glanced down at his fingernails before catching Teri's gaze.

She studied Adrian's blank expression. "Somehow I'm not so sure that's how it played out."

Adrian raised an eyebrow. "Are you second guessing me, Teri?"

The tone of his voice was oddly frightening. Teri did her best to keep a strong façade. "It would appear so." She replied, her hands balling into fists.

"You don't know who you're dealing with," He told her, uncrossing his arms and pushing himself from his desk. Adrian veered around his desk to sit.

_He can't hurt me here._ "Oh, I think you have that backwards." She told him, taking those few steps forward and placing her hands on the edge of his desk. "I _know _what happened at Karnak." Teri threatened, quietly. She was irritated that not only that he'd vicariously tried to kill her, but that he was even prematurely giving her job away. The least she could do was push a few pressure points-let him know that soon he wasn't going to be in control of everything like he was now…

Adrian scoffed, sitting forward in his chair before pulling open a drawer in his desk. He withdrew a half-charred book. "_I_ know _exactly _who I'm dealing with." He tossed that old, leather-bound book on his desk: It landed atop some papers with a dull thud. "I'm not daft."

If she hadn't written in that exact book nearly everyday last year, Teri wouldn't have recognized it's burnt form. With a stutter in her thoughts-in her initial plan-she stared at the book for a long moment before hesitantly letting her fingers caress the top cover.

His gaze turned quickly from slightly annoyed to amused as he watched her fingers slide under the first few pages and peer in-making the chilling discovery of her own words.

"I've read every page-" Adrian said, breaking Teri's near horrified thoughts. "-It's rather intriguing." He shrugged, "despite the obvious the struggle of weeding through the horrible structure and grammar."

"Fuck you." She whispered, still caught up in the shock of the moment.

Adrian laughed like they were old friends bantering.

Walter had expressed his worries of the diary being in Veidt's possession, but it was just so _impossible _of a thought that Teri had easily brushed it off as mere suspicion. Teri's eyes finally made their way up again to Adrian's; he looked almost thrilled. He'd been waiting a long time to reveal that book to her.

He leaned forward, placing his elbows on the mahogany desk. "If you think," Adrian breathed out, locking his fingers together. "for one second, that you can expose whatever it is that you think I did," He paused, but continued before Teri could open her mouth, "Then I will be forced to make sure that this," he pointed to the journal, "becomes public." Adrian cocked a lopsided grin at her. "You will go to jail for a very long time, and poor Alice will become a child of the state-" His face puckered in amusement. "-like mother like daughter."

Teri nervously licked her lips. "People will know what you did, Adrian." She told him, trying to ignore his threats.

"Who do you think they will believe?" He asked her, a hint of a smirk upon his thin lips, "A murderer, or a savior?" Veidt didn't sound like he was worried about the answer. He knew _exactly_ who they would believe, without a single shadow of a doubt.

That was something that Teri had definitely thought about, but she didn't expect to have to explain her reasoning to the very man she wanted taken out. She stumbled over the words in her mouth, "Why now?" Teri asked, "Why even show me that you have this?"

He considered this, "To remind you who will always come out on top, my dear." Adrian answered. He leaned back in his seat, relaxing. "You see," His chair made no sound as he rotated around, staring out the large ceiling-to-floor window at the bright city around him. "I am very generous." His smile glanced back at Teri over his shoulder. "I'm going to give you a choice, Teri."

Teri's eyes kept straying to the journal-her scribbled writing lining each page. She never thought she'd see it again.

"Stop whatever it is you're thinking of attempting," Adrian continued, turning in his chair to face her once again. "and I'll see to it that this journal," He reached forward and tapped the open page Teri had been staring at. "never makes it to the police." His statement was simple, and so easy to want to believe.

She didn't need to hear the second half of his ultimatum. "But you set a hit out on me." Teri's words, even with an attempted bravery, still managed to sound oddly anxious. She knew that if Adrian was truthful with his statement of promise, he wouldn't have hired someone to kill her in the first place. "How can you expect me to believe you?"

Adrian nodded, considering her words. Then after a long moment, he threw her one of his signature smiles. "What choice do you have?"

* * *

_'"Just who is Teri Hurst?'; This has been the question on everyone's minds lately since the reporter for the New Frontiersman; Seymour Allen was found dead in his home late Friday night. Mr. Allen was re-investigating prime details within a well known vigilante's journal, as a commemoration of last years events. Within notes found in Mr. Allen's office and home, there were numerous amounts of information about his attempts at trying to find a Teri Hurst that still to this day remains anonymous to the public. _  
_The New Frontiersman editor; Hector Godfrey, comments-"_

Ashley harrumphed. For the last twenty minutes, she'd been trying to watch the 9 o' clock news, but Walter's constant trampling around the house was hindering her routine activity. She peered over the couch at him. "You're wearing a hole in the floor."

Walter's gaze shot to the clock on the wall. It had been over two hours since Teri had left and still he'd heard no word of her from the office. Every minute that the phone ceased to ring added to his agitated anxiety.  
_Exposing us to Veidt could be a mistake at the moment._ Rorschach told him. _Especially with Teri involved_. Walter groaned. If Teri was within Adrian's grasp, and Walter did nothing, he might lose her forever. _And abandon baby Alice at home? _

Chest tightening, he veered around the worn couch and plopped down on the other end from Ashley. His hands tight gripped his jeans at the seams. Walter glanced at the silent phone. His nerves were starting to get the best of him. Rorschach _said _they would do something about Teri if she hadn't called him back… and she didn't..

Rorschach was right on one aspect though, he couldn't leave Alice by herself… Walter sighed before turning to Ashley. "Gonna need to ask a favor."

She had already been staring at him-his fidgeting and anxious vibes were really starting to chap her. "What?" Ashley asked, using the remote to turn down the volume on the T.V.

Rorschach's jaw clinched tight, but Walter had had enough. He knew it was possibly a bad idea, but he couldn't just sit there and wait for something to happen. "Take Alice home with you." he ordered, "Lock the doors. Don't open them for anyone but Teri or I."

"What? What's going on?"

But Walter was already standing. "Have to leave for a few hours." He strode quickly into Teri's room and grabbed his costume. He proceeded to put on everything but the face-he'd have to save that for later-stuffing it into his trench coat pockets. He couldn't just put on the mask and run about town in broad daylight.

Ashley followed him into the bedroom, her brows furrowed. "Walter-"

He caught the babysitters gaze. Removing the piece of paper from his coat-one that had Daniel's and Laurie's home address on it-he handed it to the girl. "If neither of us come for you after tomorrow, take Alice here." Alice would be the last on Veidt's priority list. And the baby would be in good hands-it was Teri that he needed to worry about right now.

Then without another word-and leaving the babysitter with a million unanswered questions-Walter hurried out of the apartment to catch a cab.

If Veidt didn't know about Rorschach's botched death, it left them with the upper hand. Rorschach shoved open the front door of the apartment building. Adrian's world was about to come crashing down around him.

_Ready or not, Veidt. _


End file.
